Residents of Brandywine Living Princeton visited Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary, bringing Christmas toys and treats for all the pups.
“Welcoming seniors has become a tradition at Marty’s Place,” said Doreen Jakubcak, founder and director of the senior dog sanctuary. “The party is such a heartwarming event that benefits both people and dogs. What better time to experience so much comfort and joy than during the holidays?
Brandywine residents wore Santa’s Helper hats while handing out treats and toys for the senior pups at the Upper Freehold facility on Dec. 16.
“I love dogs. I always had them growing up as a child. When I got married I had doggies, too, for my children to love,” said Mary Hemmer, a Brandywine resident.
Inspired by a senior dog adoptee named Marty and the plight of other aging canines with nowhere to safely and comfortably live out their “golden” years, Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary is a nonprofit organization that provides a permanent, loving, protected environment for dogs age seven and older when their owners or other animal rescue/shelters can no longer care for them.
Situated on 25 acres, the 8,000-square-foot facility opened its doors in the fall of 2015, with the first residents arriving at the end of October. In the months that followed, with the help of a small staff and an amazing group of volunteers, Marty’s Place has created a caring community for senior dogs.
They come to the sanctuary from different backgrounds and for different reasons.
While adoption may be an option for some residents, when it isn’t, Marty’s Place provides senior dogs a forever home in a family-like environment with full, personalized attention given to their needs for the rest of their lives.
Marty’s Place also offers a swim program for its residents and non-resident dogs of all ages in its indoor, salt water pool.
For more information, visit www.martysplace.org
Brandywine Living Princeton is located on the border of Princeton and South Brunswick.