A morning trip to the bathroom is first on the agenda for the residents, followed by morning medications, and a large breakfast.

  After breakfast is a morning walk, playtime, and another trip to the bathroom.

  Then, each takes a seat on their favorite chair, sofa, bed, or welcoming lap, anticipating a long nap soon to follow.

  This is the daily routine for the residents at Halo House for Dogs, a Hospice and Love Organization that provides end-of-life care for senior dogs.

  Anna Ware, the founder of Halo House for Dogs, has spent her life caring for animals, worked for 25 years on the Board of Directors of the Atlanta Humane Society, and has just recently realized her dream of opening a home in McDonough for senior dogs.

  “We’re calling it a ‘retirement home’ for senior dogs,” said Ware. “Generally, we only accept dogs that are 10 years or older and they all come from local animal controls. They are basically senior dogs that have not been adopted. And, with these seniors, they tend to have some medical issues.”

  The nonprofit organization officially opened its doors on February 2, 2020 and immediately began taking in senior dogs from area shelters.

  The first Halo House resident was a lovable 15 year-old dog named Reese, after the candy Reeses’s Pieces.

  She was picked up from Dekalb County Animal Control by Halo House after being left by her owners, as she “did not fit in” with the family’s new, younger dog.

  “She had obviously been bred and was heart-worm positive. She had been at Dekalb County Animal Control for a couple months and they had not been able to adopt her out,” said Ware. “So, we adopted her. Reese was our very first dog.”

  The next adopted dog was named Figgy Newton, a snaggletoothed Shih Tzu.

  “He was adopted from Newton County Animal Control,” said Ware. “He had a tumor in his mouth and he just had a mouth full of rotten teeth, so he had that removed and 22 teeth removed. He has some vision problems and he is partially deaf. Figgy has to have prescription eyedrops twice a day.”

  The third dog to be adopted by Halo House is Jerry, a Yorkie mix.

  “We adopted Jerry from Henry County Animal Control,” said Ware. “He had a bloody tumor on the front of his head and he had seizures, so he is on anti-seizure medication.”

  Queen Bee, a bulldog, is the fourth and most recent addition to Halo House.

  “She’s the sweetest girl. The photos of her are just tragic from the day Henry County Animal Control picked her up. You could count every single rib on her body,” said Ware. “And she has a heart murmur and she does have a couple of little tumors.”

  With Halo House, Ware hopes that her efforts will bring happiness to the dogs that are most overlooked at shelters due to their advanced age and medical conditions.

  “Most people just don’t have any interest at all in adopting a dog that age or a dog with that many medical issues,” said Ware.

  A mix of dedicated staff and volunteers keep things up and running at Halo House.

  Some of the volunteers include students from Union Grove High School’s Ag Club and the Future Farmers of America Club.

  “They have been instrumental in the care of these dogs, especially during the pandemic,” said Ware. “I am very appreciative of these kids. They are just very compassionate young people.”

  Committing many hours a week to the dog’s care, the staff and volunteers spend much of their time simply loving on the dogs.

  “With these senior dogs, you’ve got to make the time that they have remaining the best amount of time they could have,” said Ware. “It’s more about quality than anything else.”

  “I truly believe that these senior dogs know that we are rescuing them and that we are giving them a second chance at life,” said Ware. “They seem appreciative of the fact that they are getting love and attention.”

  Although Halo House has seen a success story with the adoption of one of their senior dogs named Martin, Ware states that many of the residents will live out their remaining years at Halo House.

  “It’ll be a rare occasion when we will actually be able to adopt a dog out,” said Ware. “Most of the dogs, when they come to the Halo House, they’ll stay for life.”

  Ware hopes to receive a Conditional Use Permit from the county in the coming months to increase their animal resident limit from four dogs to 10.

  She also hopes to begin hosting fundraisers in the fall to raise money for needed items around the house and for animal care, to include grooming, necessary veterinary appointments and medications.

  For more information about Halo House or to view their Amazon Wishlist, visit Halo House for Dogs on Facebook.