Today, we’d like to introduce you to Living Grace Canine Ranch. They shared their story with us below.
Living Grace Canine Ranch proves that one can positively impact their community for the greater good. Christmas week of ’19, a recently relocated woman recognized Central Texas lacked community resources to address an aging population and their aging pets, specifically senior dogs. Rhonda Minardi saw hundreds of old dogs, orphaned or displaced, sitting in shelters with little chance of adoption, let alone survival. Though at the time, she was unaware of Texas State Department/Public Health statistics that 64% of dogs will not survive a shelter experience, the faces of old sheltered dogs appearing frightened moved her to purchase five acres of land in Bertram. Determined to create a new outcome for adoption-disadvantaged Texas senior dogs and despite COVID-19 impacting nonprofit fundraising gatherings, Minardi’s vision resonated with Texas pet parents and attracted nationwide media attention. The following Christmas season, Living Grace Canine Ranch (LGCR) opened its sanctuary doors for twenty-five senior dogs and was immediately at caregiving capacity.’ Today, the ‘Ranch’ is home to over one hundred old dogs with medical, physical, and age-related behavioral challenges, and the organization has built a Central Texas pet resource coalition.
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s been our experience that all that is worthy of accomplishing has an inherent set of challenges, particularly within the nonprofit environment with limited resources, but the community need is great. One challenge that began in 2020 and continues today is managing veterinary costs. As fiduciaries and devoted ‘parents,’ we are committed to life-long caregiving and responsible for managing life-stage conditions and diseases. With over one hundred senior dogs, an average monthly expense for veterinarian services, prescriptions, and medically prescribed diets is $30,000. “Disease prevention and management is paramount to a dog’s experience of feeling ‘whole.’ At LGCR, our residents thrive on Life until their last breath.”
As you know, we’re big fans of Living Grace Canine Ranch. What can you tell our readers who might need to be more familiar with the brand?
As in the beginning, LGCR’s vision is ‘A world where ‘adoption-disadvantaged’ Texas senior dogs are scarce. LGCR, a 501(c)(3) organization, is the leading voice for Central Texas old dogs whose mission is to save, serve and value their lives. Living Grace Canine Ranch provides homeless Texas senior dogs, commonly undervalued by society, with an opportunity to live medically, physically, and emotionally in wellness for the remainder of their life. Today, located in the heart of the Texas Hill Country, forty-eight miles NW of Austin, the Living Grace Canine Ranch Sanctuary is a welcoming sight and a permanent home for homeless senior orphans. Most often arriving broken in body and spirit, LGCR residents thrive throughout their life journey surrounded by 10,000 square feet of senior lifestyle wellness. Since 2020, LGCR’s uncompromising integrity and dedication to adoption-disadvantaged dogs has been exalted as the ‘ultimate’ destination by veterinarians, shelters, rescues, and family orphans for “Where Love Resides.”
Purpose-Driven Pioneer
- “The Texas landscape for homeless senior dogs falls short in every resource measure,” says Rhonda Minardi. Further, “Long considered by shelters as the ‘old dog’ problem, convenience euthanasia claims sixty-four percent of mature dogs’ lives, despite having age-appropriate and treatable conditions.” Adoption age bias is not unique to Texas, but consistently leading the nation with the highest euthanasia rates is not the answer. LGCR is not afraid to break from the traditional animal welfare model, and in true Texan spirit, we’ll shape sustainable solutions for Texans by Texans.”
Bold Programs With Measurable Impact
- LGCR’s guiding principle is that all God’s creatures deserve respect, unbiased love, and dignity until the last breath. Mission fulfillment is pursued through five core programs:
- #Live Long Live Well: A comprehensive wellness approach enjoyed by every sanctuary sweetheart (resident). Focus: Disease prevention, early detection, and management through diagnostics, nutritional support, and alternative healing modalities, such as acupuncture, massage therapy, and nutraceuticals.
- #Forever Foster: For residents who may resume a life away from home, our Forever Foster program offers senior parents an opportunity to share a life of companionship without the financial burden of pet ownership.
- # Let’s Shake Paws: Unique to Living Grace Canine Ranch is our community outreach program that assists in building mutually beneficial relationships for high-risk seniors and children on the fringe of society.
- #Forever Home: An endowment pet caregiving program backed by LGCR’s promise to provide immediate lifelong residency when the parent’s voice is no longer heard.
The Living Grace Canine Ranch story is that we aim to challenge the status quo with everything we do. We aim to think differently about benefiting senior dogs. As for the LGCR sanctuary, the inner beauty is the underlying philosophy of our motto, “Where Love Resides.” Conclusion “Home to hundreds, the ranch sanctuary is a special place that raises the bar for valuing an old dog’s Life because life is precious and time is short.” Rhonda Minardi, LGCR Founder/Executive Director
What has been the most important lesson you’ve learned along your journey?
“When given the opportunity, never underestimate an old dog’s desire to live.” Rhonda Minardi
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.livinggracecanineranch.org
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/livinggracecanineranch/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lgcanineranch
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/living-grace-canine-ranch/
- Youtube: youtube.com/@livinggracecanineranch
- Other: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/shared/0bd6fa78-e03d-4c01-8166-29468c985c0d
Image Credits
Living Grace Canine Ranch
