Dog Who Was 'Head of Security' at Senior Sanctuary Retires There Herself

Ginger was just out of puppyhood when her owners opened a sanctuary at their home to care for senior dogs, and she's now enjoying retirement there herself.

The Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary (OFSDS) in Tennessee has followers from around the world who love to be updated on the older four-legged friends, many of whom have additional needs that come with their old age.

Sadly, the older a dog gets, the less likely they are to be adopted into a loving home, with the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals stating that part of the reason is that some adopters "believe older pets are less likely to bond with their new owners."

The organization insists this is not the case, and older shelter animals are "just as loving, loyal and delightful as young ones." But, it adds, "senior animals are typically the last to be adopted and the first to be euthanized."

Old Friends co-founders Zina Goodin, 67, and Michael Goodin, 71, noticed older animals at the golden retriever rescue they volunteered at were being overlooked, and they were determined that any senior dog that came into their care would find a loving place to live out the rest of their days.

Before Old Friends was set up in Tennessee, Zina and Michael adopted Great Pyrenees cross puppy Ginger from a shelter, and she has been with the sanctuary from the very beginning.

OFSDS, which has looked after more than 1,400 senior dogs since 2012, shared a part of Ginger's story to their Facebook page on April 29, complete with photos of the now 15-year-old girl resting in her "favorite places."

They wrote in the post, which you can view here: "She was very shy when she came from the shelter, but it didn't take long for her playful, happy, stubborn self to come out."

In just two days the post garnered close to 7,000 likes, with commenters immediately falling head over heels for the sanctuary's longest-standing member.

Speaking to Newsweek, Zina Goodin recalled adopting Ginger into her family when "at the time, Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary didn't exist, we were just a family with several dogs."

"Ginger was a very shy girl when she joined our family, but it didn't take long for her to come out of her shell and play, play, play," she said.

And when Old Friends opened, Ginger "welcomed all of the dogs who came into the sanctuary with open paws".

Goodin explained: "Since Ginger was not a senior like her new friends, she needed a job. Being half Great Pyrenees, Ginger was a protector. She looked out for her extended family, keeping them out of trouble and keeping an eye out for danger.

"When she perceived any threats, she would quickly herd the group of them into a safe place, even if that threat were only a squirrel or a deer."

Ginger was so good at her job, she even earned the title "Head of Homeland Security" at Old Friends, and she watched as many older dogs either found their forever homes through the sanctuary or stayed on to live out their senior days comfortably.

"Ginger got older too," Goodin said. "In 2017, the sanctuary moved out of our house, but Ginger still had many friends at home. Now, Ginger has reached retirement age as well."

Two years ago, the old girl "lost the ability to get up by herself," but Old Friends was at hand to help keep her going.

"We have a harness that she wears loosely all of the time," Goodin explained, a special contraption created specifically for old or injured dogs, ironically called a GingerLead. "Once we help her up, with only a slight pull, she is off and going."

The former "head of homeland security" is now enjoying her retirement doing her favorite things: "She spends up to an hour sometimes sniffing, exploring, barking at the wildlife with the rest of her friends or keeping tabs on what everyone is doing."

Goodin added: "When she sits down again, she will softly tell us she's ready to get up again with a soft woof."

"We love her very much."

It's a sentiment very clearly shared by hundreds of others, as Old Friends followers flocked to the comments under the post about Ginger, many remembering her from times gone by.

One user wrote: "Love you, Ginger. I remember the early days of OFSDS and your youth. So glad you are still enjoying all the strolling and sniffits."

Another said: "I remember sweet Ginger from way back. Love you, girl."

And one found "gorgeous" Ginger's story relatable, as she wrote: "I have trouble sometimes getting around too! I know you are getting lots of love and special care."

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