Lily’s is a really amazing rescue group. I have heard other peoples experiences with other groups and they were not ideal. Lilly’s does a great job screening their applicants, and their dogs. They went above and beyond helping our “Carl” to be adoptable, putting thousands of dollars into his veterinary care even before they put him up for adoption to give him a great headstart . Their fosters are very loving and definitely help to give that extra insight of how a dog will do in a home environment. I would definitely adopt from them again when The need arises. We love seniors!
My mom passed away in 2019 and left her large Shepherd mix dog, Rocky, in the care of a family member who was not able to care for him after my mom's house was sold. We were scrambling to find a rescue or shelter for Rocky but they all were full, or would euthanize him. A friend told me about Lily's Sanctuary and they came through in the last moments, and accepted Rocky. The owner and staff were friendly, understanding, and helpful. Plus the Sanctuary is beautiful, humane, large, and has everything for large, senior dogs, including grain free food, a pool, and large sleeping areas.
Anyone who works in animal rescue and foster care deserves acknowledgement and applause for their service; no one gives of themselves to care for dogs, cats, and other animals in need in order to gain fame, fortune or power. It is a selfless and difficult calling. Among all the animal rescue heroes who deserve our thanks and appreciation, Alice and the staff of Lily's Legacy stand among the elite of those who, with a consistent vision and heart-felt dedication, pour themselves out to the wonderful four-legged companions they are always present to care for. Alice and her staff demonstrate a level of compassion and loving kindness that provides a model and standard for the rest of us to try and live up to. Thank you Alice, and all those at Lily's Legacy, for who you are, what you have done and what you continue to do to care for our canine friends who would be lost and hurting without you. Bob M
My senior dog crossed the Rainbow Bridge two weeks ago and left behind his supplies--hip joint chews, Pill Buddies, Frontline, etc. Lily's Legacy helped with my grieving process by giving his supplies a home. When my husband and I delivered the supplies, I was filled with peace--there is so much love, care, and serenity there--for the dogs, the people, visitors...even the plants. For the past year, I took a photo of my dog every day--and after taking the photo of my dog, I would take a photo of the sun coming through the trees of where he was standing. Lily's has a Rainbow Bridge in their garden that I almost took a photo of, but didn't...but I took a photo of the sun coming through their tree. Lily's is an amazing place of life and love.
I’ve always had a passion for rescuing and caring for animals in need of homes. I followed Lily’s for a long time before reaching out to meet and potentially adopt one of their shepherds. Although I would have happily taken any of them, they weren’t quite the right fit. Within a couple of weeks of visiting Lily’s they posted a malnourished lab and as soon as I saw him I knew he was the one. In the short time that I’ve had him he’s quickly become part of my family. I look forward to returning to Lily’s soon to hopefully find him a friend!
We adopted Panda from Lily's in Summer of 2018. Panda was 10 years old at that time and had come to Lily's as a stray. At first he was shy and wasn't the biggest fan of cuddles, but he quickly became our daughter's best friend and grew to love sleeping on the bed with us. We lost him this past year to cancer, but we are forever grateful for the time we were able to have him as a part of our family and are deeply indebted to Lily's for choosing us to be his forever home. Thank you for all that you do.
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Lily's is the BEST!!!!! After 2 fospice dogs and 2 adopted dogs, we can testify that Lily's is the cadillac of dog rescues!
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I just recently learned about Lily's Legacy when I researched local dog rescues after losing our family dog Ruby. Since May I have taken on a foster/hospice dog and another short-term foster doggy. Lily's Legacy has been incredibly responsive and supportive at each step of the way. They provide a much-needed service (rescuing large-breed senior dogs) and make the foster/adoptive process fun and easy. I cannot say enough positive things about this organization. It's the real deal!
Max rescued us, of course!
We got the poster child of Rescue dogs. He came to us fully trained. No food agression or chewing shoes, has all his commands down. He loves his ball
And chIldren equally. Works a party like a gigolo, loving people. Because he is 9 years old, he is done for the day by 8pm, clocked out, job done. He is the sweetest smartest dog i have ever known.
Lily's Legacy had taken care of Max's health concerns prior to our having him. When he came to us he had a brand new start on a farm that keeps him busy. We are so grateful!
Every time I look at his face I feel only gratitude for lily’s legacy. They care so deeply about connecting big old dogs that need homes with homes that need a big old dog. People leave Lily’s with smiles because the place is beautiful and the volunteers overflow with love
We have a soft spot for hard to place dogs so our blind rescue, Ollie and I went down to Lily's to find him a partner-in-crime, and visited a few times to meet some of the doggies. The sanctuary is beautiful and watching the volunteers interact with the dogs it was evident they were well-loved and cared for.
Soon we met Merlin, a 10-year old Labradoodle and Merlin and Ollie hit it off right away. Before we knew it we were taking Merlin home and the two of them became fast friends. Merlin loves his daily morning walk, treats and head scritches and has become part of the family.
Lily's is a wonderful organization and I love seeing their Facebook with pictures and updates every time another dog is adopted. Thank you, Lily's!
Lily’s Legacy changed our lives — and that of our senior rescue Ecco. My partner and I were feeling isolated and empty during Covid lockdown. Lily’s made it so easy for us to find and adopt a companion. We felt befriended by the staff and moved by their efforts to gently promote the adoption of these beautiful animals, anxious to find their peaceful place to live out their days. Ecco, our Catahoula mix, was a godsend. We are so grateful to everyone at Lily’s for how they treated us, how they cared for Ecco, and how they brought us together. Lily’s is doing such important work for these sweet senior dogs and their humans.
Have adopted 3 amazing senior dogs from Lily’s. Without Lily’s these dogs would have been put down, such a waste and so unnecessary. If you haven’t experienced the joy of senior adoption you have missed something truly wonderful.
There are not enough words or even the right ones to fully say how
incredibly Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary is.
They are actual advocates for the senior underdog.
I have spent over 15 years adopting senior dogs and Lily’s
is the best senior dog sanctuary I have worked with.
I adopted three bonded large senior dogs from them in 2019.
They knew it would be so hard to get these three dogs adopted
together, but they also knew they had to stay together.
But they made the commitment to them and when people
wanted to adopt just one or two of the trio they said NO!.
They were brave enough to wait. And I am so lucky they did.
These beautiful girls are now living a retired beach life.
And that is because of Lily’s. Alice and the entire team are
just the most amazing advocates for large senior dogs.
I wish I could triplicate them all.
In my experience, Lily’s Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary is the very best rescue/sanctuary out there for senior homeless dogs. Alice Mayn, founder of Lily’s Legacy, and her volunteers are saints— they adore each and every dog they take in and you can see the worried eyes of these babies relax and the personalities blossom under the loving care of the volunteers.
Each dog receives medical, dental care and even water therapy if necessary. They are cage free during the day and each dog is given special attention- each is seen as an individual so the best possible new parent match can be made.
Lily’s legacy is the next best thing to a real home. An A+ stellar organization.
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Lily's Legacy is a Godsend for senior dogs who have been surrendered or abandoned. I recently rescued a 10 year old lab/chow mix from the South LA Shelter named Luke- he had been there for two months and was about to be red-listed. I was not able to keep him permanently, but he had the sweetest face, and eyes that pleaded to be adopted -- and I was determined to get him out of the high kill environment.
Luke had been terribly neglected: he had several medical issues -- and was about 40 pounds overweight - he could hardly get himself up or even move around.- I called Alice Mayn, Executive Director at Lily's Legacy and fortunately, she immediately agreed to take him. Since that time, Luke has been put on a proper diet, gets daily walks, has had the dental treatment he needed and has started water treadmill therapy at the local Animal Rehabilitation Center. Plus, he gets tons of love from the volunteers. Luke is now a happy boy with an adorable playful personality.
Lily's Legacy is unquestionably the next best thing to a home environment. They have fantastic, caring volunteers who are with the dogs every day. For those who need to run, there is plenty of room on the property. There is a pool for hot summer days. They have an enormous barn area covered in oriental rugs and doggie beds where the dogs can mingle, nap and play with the volunteers for several hours a day. At night they have large runs that feel like home. I have never seen anything else like this.
Luke still has a way to go with his diet, but I am so grateful to Alice Mayn and to her team -, to volunteer Paul, with whom Luke immediately bonded, and to Lily's Legacy, for transforming Luke's life. He is now waiting for his perfect forever Mom and/or Dad -- and I have complete faith that Alice will find the right person!
I needed a dog / friend/ hiking companion. I decided to adopt a senior dog and found Lily’s. Everyone I met was wonderful. The care they took of their visiting seniors struck me from day one. And the interest they took in finding me just the right old friend was sincere. Within a week they called me that they might have found “the one.” And the next day I drove home with my new old buddy Ecco. It was love at first sight. Lily’s made everything a pleasure. I am so grateful.
I have adopted two senior dogs from Lily’s and I hope to adopt many more! Lily’s is an amazing beautiful place where senior dogs get pampered as they wait to go to their forever homes. Alice, her staff and volunteers are all wonderful people who will do anything for senior dogs! If I could hang out at Lily’s with the senior dogs all day instead of going to work I would be in heaven! Lily’s is the best - please consider opening your home to one of their sweet and loving senior dogs!
Large older dogs have the hardest time getting adopted from shelters, and that's where Lily's Legacy comes in. They relieve pressure from many shelters in the surrounding area by taking the animals least likely to be adopted. Their organization and volunteers are deeply passionate about finding the right home for dogs so that when they are placed, they don't end up back in the same shelters. Can't say enough good things about them! The love they show for these dogs is paid back three times over by the affection the dogs bring to their new families.
I recently had the pleasure of adopting two beautiful senior pups from Lily's. I'm continually impressed by the professionalism, care, and compassion of the Lily's "family." Their focus on the finding the best families for senior, large pups that are frequently overlooked by adopters at shelters, is apparent from how they share the pups' stories on social media to how thorough and detailed they are with the adoption process. Post adoption, they continue to support the families and pups as a resource for providing the best care for the pups. I can't say enough about the people I've met through Lily's and the experience I've had as a adopter of as one of their rescues.
I love dogs, ALL dogs. small, medium, large, puppies, teeners, adults & seniors! Thankfully, there are many agencies/nonprofits who help them when they are in need of a happy home. Sadly, very few specialize on senior dogs. And fewer still for LARGE, senior dogs. I am so grateful for Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary. Not only do they take in large, senior dogs, they assure that their health issues are promptly attended to. We were fortunate to find our sweet Golden girl there! Lilly's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary's staff & volunteers provide a loving, comfortable, safe place for these sweet old pups as they patiently wait for their new forever family. At Lily's there is no 'expiration date'. The seniors are welcome to stay & live in love and comfort until they find a home or until they cross the Rainbow Bridge.
We adopted a senior dog from Lily's Legacy in 2018. We originally went to inquire about a different dog than we ended up adopting. The reason for this is Lily's amazing team of volunteer staff, who gave us a tour of the sanctuary and explained the fine details of each dog up for adoption. The dog we adopted as an 8-year-old Aussie mix who stole our hearts. We lost him three weeks ago to illness and we are proud that we were able to give him a loving home until it was his time to go. We donated to Lily's again in his remembrance and convinced a friend to do the same. Lily's serves a need in the animal world that is not served by many. It is a heartless mission and one that takes compassion and dedication. We support Lily's 100%.
On November 8, 2018 the town of Paradise, California burned to the ground in the "Camp Fire". My niece and my great niece barely made it out with their roommate and 2 dogs. The video they sent me was horrifying; they drove down the only exit road, fire leaping up from both sides of the road, the heat permeating their car - you could hear the dogs panting in the back seat. My niece texted me asking if I could help find a place to board the dogs, they couldn't take them to the location they were going for shelter. Fortunately, I was able to find a Veterinary Hospital in Chico, CA outside of the immediate fire area. This wonderful Vet Hospital was boarding dogs from the fire free of charge. My family lost all of their worldly possessions, there was nothing but ashes where their house previously stood.
My niece had no place to live and had to leave California and move in with her brother in Connecticut. Unfortunately, the dogs were not allowed to move with her. Since I'm involved with my local animal shelters in Alabama and some rescue organizations where I live, I volunteered to help find either homes or a rescue for my niece's dogs. The 2 dogs were still being boarded for more than a week at the Veterinary Hospital and with no response to re-home them, I started reaching out to Rescue Organizations from an internet site a rescue friend sent me.
I emailed a few organizations including Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary. I explained the circumstances in my email(s). Baby, the Beagle/Lab mix is approximately 10 years old and Chloe the Terrier mix is approximately 8 years old. On November 13 within 24 hours of sending my emails, Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary responded and literally came to the rescue; I was on the phone with Alice Mayne the Founder & Executive Director the same day! Although little Chloe didn't quite fit Lily's Legacy's qualifications, they agreed to take her into their rescue with Baby (who did meet their qualifications). Through perserverance of all involved, luck and 2 very good friends of mine who drove 6 hours round-trip to retrieve the dogs from the Vet's Office in Chico, Chloe & Baby were at the Veterinarian's Office Lily's Legacy used and were being vetted. This all happened within 4 days of my original email. In less than a week Baby and Chloe were in a foster home and as of today, both Baby and Chloe have been adopted (separately) and seem to be thriving.
Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Sanctuary gave me, my niece and great nieces peace of mind in a very difficult situation. They went above and beyond to help us and we are eternally grateful to Alice Mayne, the Executive Director and everyone involved with Lily's Legacy.
a truly compassionate haven for those left behind. A safe place for dogs who have been discarded, abandoned or left orphans by the death of theoir owner.
While looking for an older dog to bring into our home, we came across Lily's and we are so thankful we did. They had quite a few wonderful senior dogs who were in all stages of transition from their previous situations. From the very first, we fell in love with our Annie. We are positive the relaxed, home-like atmosphere at Lily's made a huge difference in her ability to adjust to our home. The care she received there also assured we went home with a dog as healthy as she could be given her age and past.
Annie is happy and well adjusted with us and we are so grateful for the love she has brought to us and to Lily's for making that possible.
I am honored to have adopted two different Lily's Legacy dogs. When "Missy" came to Lily's Legacy after her owner died, she was shut down. The care given by all the volunteers helped her transition into our family beautifully. She became a devoted companion and faithful friend.
The second dog we adopted had lost her canine sibling in addition to her home due to a family illness. Shy and suffering from separation anxiety, the volunteers worked with "Trixie" to boost her confidence and trust. She too became a part of our family, blessing us with unconditional love. We are so grateful to Lily's Legacy for saving these wonderful dogs.
I had recently lost my senior dog and was searching for a new rescue dog when I learned about Lily’s Legacy. A border collie that they were caring for instantly caught my eye. I was excited to meet him but did not expect the wonderful experience I would have during the adoption process. Lily’s Legacy is very thorough in learning about the families who adopt and it’s clear that they are also thorough in how they care for their available dogs. I was treated to a relaxing afternoon where I got to ask questions, introduce my resident dog to the border collie and take him for a walk. The whole experience gave a little magic to a process that has felt rushed in the past. By the end of my visit, I was certain that I found my dream dog. The whole experience from beginning to end was a delight and I have already recommended Lily’s Legacy to many friends. Finding good homes for large senior dogs is hard and I’m proud to open my home to our Marshall. Thank you Lily’s Legacy for our dog and for an adoption experience that my family will treasure.
Wonderful organization that helps the older, larger forgotten dog population. They are there 100% for the dogs. The volunteer staff and Alice are kind, compassionate and knowledgeable.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, I will always have a Lily's Legacy dog in our home. You just can't beat perfection!
I live in a small, rural Northern California community. I have volunteered and worked at the local animal shelter for many years. Placing large, senior dogs has always been particularly challenging. My heart has been broken, many times, watching a perfectly good dog euthanized because it could not be placed - or have the opportunity to spend it's final days in a hospice setting. Lily's Legacy has helped me out at times when there was no space available anywhere else. Alice Mayn somehow found space! The facility is incredibly clean, peaceful and abundantly staffed with friendly, dedicated, knowledgable volunteers. If I ever move back to Sonoma County, I will spend my time volunteering at Lily's Legacy.
As repeat "foster failures" we have been blessed to adopt three wonderful Lily's Legacy pups! Alice and her team of dedicated volunteers do a wonderful job for a usually overlooked - and far too large- group of dogs! Oldies are the best! Thanks to all!
I am honored to have Lizzie, a Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Rescue alumni, become a recent member of my family. After my extra-large rescue shepherd crossed the rainbow bridge, I was at a loss. Recently retired, everyone advised me to get a small dog. I just wasn't able to get my head and heart around a five pound lap dog, though I met many. In the process of researching local rescue groups, I discovered Lily's Legacy, and thought why not, senior with senior! The process to adopt was thorough, the people involved phenomenal, and the sanctuary, a little piece of heaven for these dear large breed dogs! Lizzie and I couldn't be happier!! She is a gentle love bug who doesn't know a stranger and appreciates all her new life has to offer. I highly recommend this group to anyone who is looking for that special companion.
I am a happy adopter and volunteer with Lily's Legacy Senior Dog Rescue. As a veterinary technician, I work with rescue organizations on a daily basis and am in awe of the care these senior pups receive. Senior dogs can be an undertaking-both financially and emotionally, and Alice Mayne is happy to do it. This rescue is truly dedicated to educating people on the benefits of adopting a senior dog and destroying the stigma that comes along with it.
We adopted our sweet boy Tux from Lily's in 2012 and will be forever grateful to Alice for taking him in so that he would find us.
I was also very lucky to be part of rescuing a sweet, yellow lab boy in 2013. Most senior dogs that are relinquished to county shelters are euthanized(so sad, but so true) due to their "un-adoptability"and unfortunately, "Banshee", was facing the same fate. As soon as Lily's heard of him, they were at the shelter doing everything they could to bust this boy out! That goofy lab has a special place in my heart and is happily living out his days with a forever family. If it hadn't been for Lily's Legacy I am sad to say that is most likely NOT the future he would've been graced with.
I am proud to have adopted a dog from Lily's Legacy and will continue to volunteer and do what I can to help spread the word on these amazing pups!
Jordan Sanchez and Kyle Elliott
Fremont, CA