Many dog organizations only care for dogs to prepare them for adoption. But House With a Heart provides a forever home for their rescue animals.
Although they do have an adoption program, the organization dedicates itself to offering medical care and a permanent, loving home environment to these animals.
Find out who House With a Heart is, what they do, and what you can do right now to help them.
Who is House With a Heart?
House With a Heart is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization supported by a dedicated team of volunteers who welcome senior pets in their sanctuary and give them all the love and care they need.
The organization is based at 6409 Stream Valley Way, Gaithersburg, Maryland. Once a dog or cat becomes a resident, they have a loving home for life.
The sanctuary aims to focus more on senior pets. They receive advanced medical care, such as diagnostic screenings, dental care, surgery, and medications, as needed.
House With a Heart provides daily exercise and activity for their senior dogs, ensuring they maintain their physical health and mental stimulation.
Their team of volunteers ensures that each resident dog receives personalized care and attention, and they are dedicated to creating a home-like environment that fosters a sense of safety, security, and comfort.
The sanctuary has gained recognition and support from animal lovers around the world, and they have been featured in various media outlets for their dedication to senior pets.
They have also received numerous awards and recognition for their contributions to animal welfare.
How House With a Heart Started
House With a Heart was founded by Sher Polvinale and her husband, Joe, in 2006.
Sher has been an animal lover her whole life and started the sanctuary when she saw a need for senior dogs who were being abandoned or surrendered due to their age and health issues.
She and her husband realized that these dogs deserved a loving home for their remaining years, and they decided to create that home themselves.
The residents are primarily seniors and special dogs and cats in need. Some lost their families, while others had various medical conditions.
These dogs and cats now have a loving home for life. But they are also available for adoption.
They also established programs that assist in the medical needs of dogs in shelters. The occasional pet pantry also provides food and supplies to pet rescues in need.
What Does House With a Heart Do?
The main goal of the Sanctuary is to provide a helping hand for senior pets. They offer resident dogs and cats a comfortable home environment throughout their life.
To accomplish this mission, they rely on volunteers, donations, grants, and wishlist gifts.
They have a Rescue Partner Adoption Program. This allows their rescues to be available for adoption in case anyone is interested. Browse their website to see the available cats and dogs.
House With a Heart currently has two other programs: The K9 Kitty Medical Miracles and Pet Pantry.
The K9 Kitty Medical Miracles Program provides medical grants to Rescue Partners who save senior dogs and cats from shelters. This medical care will prepare them for adoption.
The Feed Fido and Fluffy HWAH Pet Pantry provide food and supplies to senior citizens, families, and pet rescues in need.
Check out House With a Heart’s Facebook page for more information.
HWAH also established Faith’s Fund to honor Faith, a beloved pup in the sanctuary. He had been found in a ditch and was extremely emaciated and deplorable.
This fundraising campaign helps with the costs of medical care for the pups.
How You Can Help House With a Heart
There are several ways you can support HWAH to enable them to care for more dogs and cats in need.
Donations
You can make a one-time gift donation that goes directly to the care and comfort of the residents of Forever Fosters.
You can also make a recurring monthly donation to House With a Heart for a steady flow of financial support.
House With a Heart relies on donations and support from the community to continue providing a safe and loving home for their senior dogs.
One benefit of the monthly support is that you can decide where your contribution will be transferred. Sign up and choose the amount you want to give now.
You can also sign up for their Combined Federal Campaign. HWAH is part of the campaign of the national area. Donate through the CFC using the code 69166.
You can find more ways to support HWAH here.
Foster
They also have a foster program that allows volunteers to take in dogs temporarily and help them find their forever homes.
Shop
Other ways to help include shopping from the organization’s Amazon Wish List or their Chewy Wish List.
House With a Heart has an shop that sells calendars, t-shirts, hoodies, tote bags, and mugs. Buy from their merch to support the senior dogs.
Volunteer
If you want to get more hands-on, you can look for the current available positions here.
House With a Heart has been helping senior pets get a second chance at life through their sanctuary. They offer full-time care for pets and maintain and improve the sanctuary.
The senior pet sanctuary relies on gifts and volunteers to maintain their operations. Support them by donating, shopping from their wish list, or volunteering at the facility.
Spread the Word
Lastly, you can spread the word about House with a Heart on social media. It’s free and for a good cause.
You can follow them here:
Learn more about our Charity Spotlight series and how you can help other organizations who are helping animals in need.
