The Grey Muzzle Organization 2025 grant recipient for saving senior dogs.

Great News for Senior Pugs!

The Grey Muzzle Organization has awarded a transformative grant to Pug Rescue of FL & GA, ensuring more older dogs in our community receive the love, comfort, and medical care they need in their golden years.

We are honored to be one of just 119 animal welfare groups selected nationwide—from a highly competitive pool of 440 applicants—to receive funding aimed at supporting senior dogs and the families who cherish them. This year, Grey Muzzle is distributing over $1.57 million in grants to organizations across the country, all working toward a shared mission: giving at-risk senior dogs the second chances they so deeply deserve.

Over the past 17 years, The Grey Muzzle Organization has given more than $7.2 million in grants to animal welfare organizations across the country. Through a growing network of dedicated grantees, we’re working toward a shared vision: A time when every senior dog finds safety, love, and a soft landing.

From tail-wagging couch potatoes to wise old adventurers, senior dogs have so much to give their human companions and with this support provided by The Grey Muzzle Organization, Pug Rescue of FL & GA will help more of them find their happy endings. This grant will provide much-needed veterinary and dental care, and waived adoption fees, for sweet seniors like Maxine, Ziri and others highlighted below.

About The Grey Muzzle Organization

The Grey Muzzle Organization is a 501(c)(3) national nonprofit dedicated to saving and improving the lives of at-risk senior dogs. Since 2008, Grey Muzzle has provided $7.2 M to animal shelters, rescue groups, and sanctuaries across the country to give older dogs the second chance they deserve. The organization champions the belief that senior dogs enrich our lives and have so much to teach us patience, respect, responsibility, loyalty, and unconditional love. Grey Muzzle envisions a envisions a time when every senior dog finds safety, love, and a soft landing.

Visit www.greymuzzle.org to learn more or support the mission.

MEET WALTER

When Walter first came into rescue, it was immediately clear that life had not been kind to him. He was blind, deaf, confused, medically neglected, and had been found wandering in and out of traffic. This senior boy came to us with a long list of urgent medical needs, and it was heartbreaking to realize he had been failed long before someone finally stopped to help.

Walter's list of medical issues was long: He had a mycoplasma respiratory infection, severe periodontal disease, painful ear infections, and he was still intact. He needed labs and diagnostics, specialized care, multiple medications, a major dental procedure, neuter surgery, and more.
After surgery, Walter had complications that led to emergency hospitalization for post-operative bleeding and suspected aspiration pneumonia.

It was not simple. It was not easy. It was not inexpensive. But how do you tell him he is too old, too complicated or too expensive to save?
You don’t. You say yes. You give him the second chance he deserves.

And Walter?

Walter decided he was not done writing his story.
Somewhere along the way, this grumpy little gentleman traded survival mode for couch mode. He learned that snacks are plentiful, snuggles are reliable, and life can actually be good.

And now, Walter has been adopted.
The blind, deaf senior stray who came to us sick, scared, and struggling is now in a loving home where he will be adored exactly as he always deserved.

Even better? Walter's forever family specifically wanted him.
We offered them multiple dogs, but they kept coming back to Walter.

They saw him.
They chose him.
They wanted this stubborn little senior boy exactly as he is.

And he will never be failed by humans again.

MEET ACHILLES

Achilles is a senior male pug who found himself at a rural shelter. We don't know anything about his history, but we definitely know we will do everything we can to make his future bright! He may be named after a warrior, but this Achilles prefers cozy dog beds, predictable routines, and keeping a close watch on his humans from the best seat in the house.

He came into rescue needing a full check up, vaccines, medications for infections, dry eyes, a wobbly back end, and a mouth full of rotten teeth.

Thanks to the support of our Grey Muzzle Grant, he received the care he needed, including a dental procedure when he lost 22 teeth! Thanks to the Grey Muzzle Grant Achilles can now give sweet kisses to his admirers.

Achilles' story has a very happy ending - he was adopted by a loving family and he now has 2 canine

MEET TEO

Teo is a 10-year-old male pug who came to us when his family could no longer care for him or his pug siblings. Blind and missing one eye, Teo quickly learned his way around his foster home and proved that vision loss didn’t slow him down—especially when it came to hearing the refrigerator open!

Thanks to the support of our Grey Muzzle Grant, Teo received the care he needed, including vaccines, heartworm prevention, antibiotics, neuter surgery, and a dental procedure. This grant ensured that his medical needs were fully addressed and removed barriers to finding him the perfect home.

And find it he did! Teo has since been adopted into a loving family who saw exactly what we saw: a special senior pug with so much love left to give.

A happy black pug dog with a unique facial expression.

MEET MAXINE

This sweet 10 yr old lady was abandoned by her family, but her spirit remained strong. She has one eye that never fully developed but she has good vision with her remaining eye. When she entered rescue she was coughing, and we quickly learned she was positive for heartworm disease. She has completed her treatment for heartworms and enjoying the love from her foster family. Thanks to funding from our Grey Muzzle Grant, Maxine is received all of the medical care she needed including a much needed dental cleaning. We are happy to announce that Maxine has been adopted and is feeling good after her heartworm treatment.

MEET FRANK

Frank is 12 years old. His previous owner cared for him deeply, but with a young child, limited resources, and an upcoming move, he was unable to give Frank the care he truly needed. So Frank has joined PRFG for the next chapter of his life — one filled with comfort, proper veterinary care, and (fingers crossed!) a forever family who adores charming senior pugs.

Frank has some skin issues that we are treating and improving. Frank came to us needing sugery for a rectal mass. He recently had surgery to remove this mass and was also neutered, and he is recovering beautifully. Frank was adopted by a family with a soft spot for seniors and his adoption fee was covered thanks to our grant funding.

MEET BUDDY

Buddy is almost 9 years old and he's a happy-go-lucky pug who gets along well with people and pugs and of course loves attention and treats. Buddy's person experienced some sudden, serious health issues and could no longer care for him. The family tried to help, but he needed some immediate medical care and they agreed he would do best with us so we can help him regain his health -- we were happy to help him! He has limited vision and dry eye so he will continue to get eye drops twice a day for life, he has good hearing and finds his way around easily. Buddy had some skin issues that were addressed with antibiotics and regular medicated baths. After his skin issues were resolved, he received a much needed dental cleaning and 5 teeth removed. Poor guy had several sores in his mouth from the rotten teeth and he feels much better now! Buddy was adopted by a wonderful pug-loving family and his adoption fee was covered thanks to our grant funding.

MEET BUGSY

Bugsy is the sweetest pug! He is 11 years old and just goes with the flow and likes to be included in the action. He loves kids, other dogs, and perching himself on the back of the couch so he can keep an eye on everything going on around him. Bugsy was well cared for by a loving couple, but unfortunately the husband passed away unexpectedly and the wife has some serious medical conditions and she wasn't able to care for him. Although Bugsy's world was turned upside down, he adjusted to this new chapter in his life thanks to his wonderful foster family who surrounded him with love and support. In our care he was able to have his medical care updated and he had a dental cleaning. We are happy to announce that he has been adopted by a pug-loving family who is excited to welcome him into their home. His new mom is a teacher and she plans to include him in her virtual lessons with her students. His medical care and adoption fee have been covered thanks to our Grey Muzzle Grant funding.

MEET FRANKIE SR

Frankie Sr is 13 yrs old. He joined us when his family's situation changed and they could no longer give him the care he needed. Like many senior pugs who have not received regular vet care, Frankie presented with many medical conditions that needed attention including ear infections, dry eye, skin infections, decaying teeth, and collapsing trachea. Thanks to our Grey Muzzle grant, we were able to address Frankie's medical issues and he is now up to date on vaccines, tested for heartworms and has 6 months of prevention meds, and microchipped. Frankie had a much needed dental - his mouth was so bad he had 4 teeth removed and he even had a hole in the roof of his mouth from so much decay. Fortunately his mouth is now healed and healthy. Thanks to the love and care from his foster mom he is feeling much better. She loved helping him so much she adopted him so he could spend the rest of his life with her. We are very happy for them both!

MEET ZIRI

Ziri is an 11-year-old pug mix with the most irresistible grin you’ve ever seen! He may technically be a senior, but he’s got the pep, playfulness, and personality of a much younger pup. He is a lap cuddler, blanket burrower, and big-time kisser! We helped to update all of his vet care, including vaccines, heartworm prevention, bloodwork, and a dental cleaning. He found his way to us because he wasn't getting along with the other dogs in his previous home. We gave him time to settle in and let his personality shine, and then we helped him find a wonderful forever home with a family who loves Chugs (chihuahua/pug mixes) and where he can be the center of his family's world. His adoption fee and medical expenses were covered thanks to our grant from Grey Muzzle. We are thankful this boy got a second chance to find love and happiness!

MEET MILLIE

Millie was the grand dame of the PRFG pugs! She was a sweet, spunky, and petite 18-year-old with plenty of love to give! She enjoyed following her people around and snuggling on the sofa for naps, her favorite pastime. Though she had some health challenges, including degenerative myelopathy, hind-end ataxia, and bilateral hip dysplasia, she remained a joyful companion to her foster parents. Millie also had a severe soft palate, but it only affected her with some impressively loud snoring. Despite her physical limitations, Millie’s spirit was always vibrant, and she sure brighten any room she entered. Millie was one of our Forever Care Foster pugs -- she enjoyed her retirement years with us so we could love her and provide all of the ongoing medical care she needed. We are heartbroken to say that Millie passed away in October 2025, but we are thrilled that she was loved and well cared for by her loving foster family who will miss her very much.