Colorado sanctuary giving unadoptable dogs luxury accommodations
Colorado tops the list of states with "most devoted dog owners," but still, there are pets that languish in shelters. Colorado is not a "no kill" state, so thousands of animals get euthanized every year. A new facility in Douglas County promises sanctuary for senior dogs, and will relieve some of the overcrowding in animal shelters.
Ivory is one of the first residents at Pepper's Senior Dog Sanctuary. She came from Trinidad.
"She's been walking the streets for 13-14 years," said Mary Leprino, co-founder of Pepper's Senior Dog Sanctuary.
Now Ivory walks in a carefully curated play area. There are four sections: the lazy dog area, the active area, a holding area, and the sensory garden, with wind chimes, water fountains, and dog-friendly plants.
"The theory behind this is that blind and deaf dogs don't get the same enrichment as other sited or hearing dogs," Leprino explained.
Instead of kennels or pens, these dogs sleep in bedrooms with comfy couches and dog beds.
"We don't want to just house dogs here. We want to make sure that they are healthy and happy and feel good," Leprino said.
Leprino, along with her son, Justin Klemer, and niece, Leigh Sullivan, spent the last four years building Pepper's into an all-inclusive retirement home and hospice.
"Senior dogs are hard, but I don't think that people give them enough chance," Klemer told CBS News Colorado.
At Pepper's chances include state-of-the-art veterinary care, which includes an x-ray machine and surgery center; water rehabilitation, and an elaborate kitchen.
"If you think about it, we're feeding 50 dogs, twice a day, 100 meals," Leprino explained while pointing out that senior dogs often need special diets.
"Once you get them stabilized, and on the proper food, and proper medication, and proper veterinary care, things kind of take care of themselves, and they start to come out of their shell," Klemer said.
The entire multi-million dollar facility is named for a tiny chihuahua, who had a big impact.
"Pepper and I found each other at a time that we really did need each other, and I knew that when he was passing that he had changed my life, and that I wasn't going to continue not doing something for the animals," Leprino said.
In addition to giving the best life possible to older unadoptable and medically complicated dogs, Pepper's hopes to get Colorado closer to being a "no kill" state.
"To get us where no animal in Colorado has to be euthanized for space," said Klemer.
They get their dogs exclusively from adopting them from shelters. They do not accept owner surrendered pets. Once they're here, the dogs get all the scratchies they could ever want.
"One of the things that these senior dogs do is they really give the love back in spades," Klemer explained.
Pepper's Senior Dog Sanctuary is partnering with Firefly Autism and several senior centers to foster that human/pet connection. It's part of the Sanctuary's mission to be a resource in the community. There are also volunteer opportunities at Pepper's.