Senior siblings Harley and Sammy still waiting for home

HUDSON―Senior dogs often wait the longest. That is the case for Harley and Sammy, brother and sister Plott Hounds who have been at the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA for 16 months.

“It is sixteen months of watching families walk past their kennel. Sixteen months of hearing footsteps approach, only to fade away again. Sixteen months of waking up every morning beside the only constant they have ever known: each other,” according to the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA that put Harley and Sammy’s story out on Tuesday.

They are hoping that someone, somewhere, will finally see what shelter staff have seen every day since Harley and Sammy arrived: two gentle, devoted souls who deserve to spend their remaining years surrounded by love.

Harley and Sammy are 8½ years old and have never been apart. And while the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA is not requiring that they be adopted together, that is their wish.

“After all, when the lights go out each evening and another day without a family comes to an end, they still have each other. In many ways, they are all each other has ever had,” the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA stated.

Harley and Sammy are searching for a quiet, adult-oriented home where they can finally exhale. They cannot live with other animals, aside from one another, and are not suitable for homes with young children. What they seek is simple: a soft place to rest, gentle hands to greet them, and the comfort of knowing they are finally home.

In the hope of making that dream a reality, the adoption fees for both Harley and Sammy have been fully sponsored. Additionally, both dogs take inexpensive thyroid medication, and an anonymous donor has generously offered to cover an entire year of medication costs for their adopter.

Studies show that senior dogs have a 25% adoption rate, compared to the 60% adoption rate of younger dogs and puppies. Their grayed faces and slower pace can cause them to be overlooked in favor of younger animals.

But at the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA, shelter staff know that Harley and Sammy still have so much left to give: quiet companionship, unwavering loyalty, and the kind of love that only comes from a lifetime of devotion.

“They do not need a perfect home. They simply need someone willing to open their heart and allow them to spend whatever years they have left where every dog deserves to be: safe, loved, and together,” the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA stated.

Anyone interested in meeting Harley and Sammy is encouraged to contact the Columbia-Greene Humane Society/SPCA at 518-828-6044 or visit the shelter during adoption hours, Monday through Saturday, from 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Adoption applications may also be completed through the shelter's website at https://cghs.org.