Grey Muzzle grant aids older dogs at PAWS Atlanta

For the third year, PAWS Atlanta, a no-kill shelter based out of Decatur, has received a grant from the Grey Muzzle Organization to provide medical treatment to older dogs currently housed at the shelter.

In 2024, Paws Atlanta received $8,750, and similar amounts the previous two years, communications and campaign manager Brenna Lakeson said.

PAWS was one of 100 animal welfare groups from nearly 400 applicants to receive a grant from Grey Muzzle, according to an announcement from the two organizations. 

“No one is more grateful or loving than an old dog, and we’re looking forward to helping more senior dogs get the second chance they all deserve,” Crystal Bowman, Executive Director of PAWS Atlanta, said.

PAWS spends the majority of the grant money on ensuring that senior dogs are healthy and ready to start a new chapter with their adoptive families.

“We spend this money on medical, dental, and preventative care for our older dogs who are often the hardest to get adopted,” Lakeson said. “Most people are interested in puppies, not senior dogs.”

Hasan Moses is one person who gained a new best friend, thanks in part to Grey Muzzle’s funding. He adopted Buffalo Bill, a seven-year-old pit bull mixed-breed dog who received preventative and medical care using grant monies.

“[Buffalo] Bill has been a great addition to the family,” Moses said.  “I’m grateful to [PAWS Atlanta] for putting us together. He’s been a big ball of energy, and I can’t picture my life without him now.” 

Kristen Karably of Avondale Estates said after adopting Kirby, a 10-ish year old, 10-pound dog, she will “always look for a senior dog to bring into our home.”

Kirby had dental surgery and a non-cancerous tumor removed prior to her March 2023 adoption.

“She’s such a chill and relaxed dog, and knowing that all of her medical issues were taken care of made the decision so much easier,” Karably said.

Of the available dogs in the shelter, about 10 percent of them have senior status, Lakeson said. Often, when age-related health issues arise, people try to surrender their older dogs to PAWS, which makes efforts to work with them to resolve some of their dog’s maladies prior to PAWS accepting the animal. 

“However, a lot of people just leave their pets in our parking lot or at the gate, and then we have to take responsibility for their care,” she said. “Last year, 144 animals were left at our facility, and this year, we’ve had 67, and many of them were pregnant.” 

Over the past 16 years, the national nonprofit Grey Muzzle Organization has provided more than $5.7 million in grants to support its vision of “a world where every senior dog thrives, and no old dog dies alone and afraid,” the release said.

PAWS Atlanta is Georgia’s oldest no-kill animal shelter, finding homes for more than 53,000 animals since it first opened its doors in 1966. PAWS Atlanta offers services to the public such as pet adoptions, foster opportunities, public vaccine clinics, and a pet food bank for owners needing extra support. For more information about PAWS Atlanta, visit http://www.pawsatlanta.org.