Valerie Reid is an amazing woman who has turned her home into a hospice for elderly pets to ensure that they do not have to die alone. Her pet rescue organization, Whispering Willows Senior Dog Sanctuary, provides a home for senior dogs that have been abandoned or lost their owners. Unlike other pet sanctuaries, the dogs that come here are never fostered or adopted, but instead move in with Valerie and her family until they pass away. The sanctuary accepts dogs that are nearing the end of their lives due to various reasons such as being abandoned, losing their pet parents, or being taken away from their owners by a court order.
Valerie believes that elderly dogs are forgiving and love unconditionally, no matter what has happened in their lives. She was inspired to open the sanctuary after her own father passed away from cancer, leaving behind his loyal Doberman pinscher. Unable to take in her father’s favorite pet, Valerie found a foster family that provided the dog with a loving home for an additional year and a half. This experience motivated her to help other pets and families in similar situations.
Despite the pain of pet loss, Valerie finds comfort in providing these dogs with love and comfort in their dying days. Some of them only stay for a few days or weeks, but their time at the sanctuary still holds meaning. Valerie believes that the tragic events, death, and sadness at the sanctuary are overshadowed by the love and joy that the dogs bring. She describes arriving at work to see 68 puppies wagging their tails and how seeing them happy is the happiest thing in the world.
