Grey Matters

The top honor at the 2015 Hero Dog Awards went to a little 14-year-old dog named Harley, who had spent most of his life in a commercial dog breeding facility. Now, thanks to the efforts of the couple who adopted him, Harley has become a "spokesdog" and fundraiser for puppy mill rescue.

When three nuns came to a rescue in New York and asked for a dog "no one is going to want," they were introduced to Remy, a 9-year-old Pit Bull. Thus begins just one of the wonderful stories of senior rescue dogs in My Old Dog, a new book by Laura Coffey with photos from Lori Fusaro.

Adopters of senior dogs find them to be more mellow, better mannered, and quicker to adjust to their new homes than younger dogs. Whether you have been considering adopting a senior dog for a long time or were just recently touched by the story of an older dog in need, your new grey-muzzled best friend may be a hop, skip, and a few clicks away.

Hospice fostering provides care for homeless dogs who are too old or ill to be placed for adoption. We asked Debbie Marks, a volunteer foster caretaker for Blind Dog Rescue Alliance, to tell us about what an average day is like caring for dogs with special needs.