CHEEKTOWAGA, N.Y. — When most people look to adopt a new pet, they look for something young, healthy, and adorable.

What You Need To Know

  • "White Whiskers Senior Dog Sanctuary" aims to raise enough money to fund a kennel-less space for senior dogs 
  • Polla Milligan has led several virtual fundraisers since the COVID-19 pandemic canceled in-person events
  • Milligan started raising money in August 2019
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Polla Milligan is wired a little differently – she asks which dog has sat around the longest, and that’s the pet she welcomes home.

“An animal is in dire straits, that’s the one I’m going to gravitate towards, because that’s where my heart lies,” she says. “I just want them to get the opportunity, to have the sendoff of kings and queens, basically.”

Milligan's two senior Chihuahua mixes, Doug and Lucy, sleep in a comfortable bed and enjoy the creature comforts of a loving home. Not all senior dogs get this treatment, and that's what inspired her to start the White Whiskers Senior Dog Sanctuary project.

"They’re afraid to get attached," Milligan says of people that typically adopt younger dogs. "They know the animal’s not going to be around for a long time. I think people are also like, ‘oh, puppies!’ So that complicates things. People tend to want younger dogs, and I get that. I just want to be the place where older dogs have a fair shake, too."

While dogs are the focus of her project, Milligan also wants the sanctuary to help people. Whether it’s snuggling on a couch with a bunch of dogs, or something more vital.

"I’ve already reached out to Erie County Mental Health Associates. I’ve reached out to Autism Services," she says. "I’ve reached out to People, Inc. I’ve reached out to the veterans – my friends at the VA tell me that there are a lot of veterans that won’t go in the hospital for procedures because they can’t afford to put their dogs anywhere. So bring your dog to me, and when you get out of the hospital, this dog will be waiting for you."

Milligan says this service would be provided free of charge. For more information, or if you'd like to donate, you can visit their website here.