Classic Canines, Inc
Make a Difference in a Life of a Senior Dog
Raja and Buddah's family kept them together as long as they could, shuffling them from family member to family member, before they eventually came to the shelter. Immediately we took assessment of the challenges in their arrival. Initially both were extremely social and so happy to be together. But as the first few days worn on, they were becoming more stressed and overtired in their shelter kennel life. You see Raja is both deaf and blind and Buddah is Raja's guide dog. Buddah couldn't help his gal Raja get comfortable with the surroundings, when he wasn't comfortable there either. It was really wearing on them. Senior dog adoptions generally take longer than those of younger peers, and it's immensely tougher when there are two large bonded dogs that need a home together. We knew they were in for a long haul and waiting in a shelter kennel simply was not going to be in their best interests. We set out to find a foster provider and almost immediately one came forward to whisk them home. There they became part of her family which included her own two small dogs. Buddah helped Raja initially get the lay of the new land which didn't take long. Raja adapts to new environments very quickly and then becomes as proficient as a sighted dog. While in foster Classic Canines has been providing their wellness care and occasional chiropractic service to help with Raja's mobility. Someday Buddah may be a widow but for now these two lovebirds are making the very best of Raja's silver years. Our dream for these two is to see Raja, 15 and Buddah, 10 land a final home TOGETHER while they still have eachother.
About Classic Canines
Helping Austin Senior Dogs Since 2012
Every year hundreds of senior dogs aged 7 and up reach Austin TX area shelters as strays and those surrendered by their owners or next of kin due to family death, housing changes and moves. Many have lost a lifelong home. About 40% were lost and far less than that will be found by their owners. That leaves several hundred still needing to find new homes. Of those, another 20% need help to overcome months or years of neglect before they will be seen as "adoptable". Shelter life is traumatic for older dogs, it's our goal to minimize that stay. Classics promotes fostering, mending and repairing of the body and soul, as part of the journey that ultimately leads home.
Ways to Help
Adopters & Fosters Come Quick!
Where you foster and adopt from MATTERS
A municipal shelter is ground zero, serving all intake for a given city, county or region. Rest assured when you foster or adopt from a municipal shelter, you are opening a spot for another animal that is on a wait list for the safety of the shelter.
There are also many responsible rescue organizations in the Austin metro area too that pull animals from the Austin metro area municipal shelters. Those animals need fosters and adopters too. The sooner those rescue animals are adopted, the sooner those rescues may reach back to help again by pulling an area animal.
How do you know if they are responsible? Before choosing an Austin based rescue organization to foster for or adopt from, be sure to check - do they ever help any of Austin's animals? The Austin area shelters are overcrowded with animals and only a small portion of Austin based rescue organizations are coming forward to help. Many rescues import animals to the Austin metro area from distant rural shelters, using fosters in this area, and finding adopter interests from this area. This takes resources away from Austin's own animals who languish in kennels as "long stays", funded by tax dollars, while some animals will have to be transported to distant states in order to find homes. The influx of animals from rural areas also brings additional service needs to the Austin area shelters that cost more taxpayer funding, through lost and found animals and owner surrenders.
Ultimately, the rescues that are based here, that do not help Austin's animals and only import animals and then rehome them here, actually make the overcrowding problem even worse and cost more taxpayer funding.
Be careful who you choose to work with - ask questions.
Apply to foster below:
Even More Ways to Help
Your donation helps to remove medical barriers and years of neglect that stand in the way of adoption and provide wellness care to those waiting. In a small number of cases, a dog reaches us too late for treatment and we help with comfort and end of life care. Because it's the right thing to do, to be a friend till the end.
There are no paid positions within Classic Canines. All positions are volunteer-based.
Shown is Leroy A839782 Austin Animal Center. who's in foster with medical sponsorship, on the road to health.
All kinds of colors and fits available
