Young at Heart Mutt Mosey

I spent Sunday making oily popcorn, attempting to move an inane amount of sweets that 84 wonderful volunteers baked, and battling a trio of bumble bees that wanted nothing more than to pollinate the hot apple cider we were selling.

What for? The Young at Heart Mutt Mosey!

photo credit: Young at Heart Pet Rescue

The Mutt Mosey is a 1-mile walk for dogs and their owners through a beautiful forest preserve in Port Barrington.  No fall fundraiser is complete without a pet costume contest, a bake sale with homemade doggie and human treats, and non-stop sightings of the most adorable senior pets!  All in all, it was a successful day; the Young at Heart Mutt Mosey raised around $18,500!

Charlie Bear, a dog currently available for adoption from YAH

Photo credit: YAH Pet Rescue

And this is Daisy dressed as a bunny for the costume contest.  She is also currently available for adoption at YAH.

Photo credit: YAH Pet Rescue

Young at Heart is the only Illinois shelter committed to helping senior (5 years+) dogs and cats find forever homes.  I heard about this organization from a friend I worked with last year, and I am grateful to know about a local organization with such a unique and thoughtful mission.  So few shelters focus on this group of animals, which is truly a misfortune since older animals are the first to be euthanized at shelters.  It's heartbreaking to think that an owner would leave behind a pet that is 10 or 11 years old, but it happens all too frequently for a wide range of reasons, none of which are legitimate.  As outraged as I become reading some of the stories about how dogs or cats came to YAH on the rescue's Facebook, it's helped me realize the necessity for such a shelter.  Moreover, hearing updates regarding how these animals find their forever homes really affirms the virtues of loving and being loved by a senior pet.

I was a first-time YAH volunteer, but after my experience this weekend, I will certainly be at future events!

Volunteering can be as simple as baking for the bake sale (see my gf and veg handiwork above) and helping out at the actual event or it can be as involved as raising nearly $2000 for the walk itself through fundraising before the event!

In case you're from the Chicagoland area, YAH's next fundraiser is Mugs for Mutts on December 7, 2013!  If you're interested in volunteering or attending, keep an eye out on the website for more details!