Newman Nation: Senior Pets United

10/30/2026

💔Not every rescue has the happy ending we all hope for, and we have some hard news to share about Flash. Flash was at the vet this week where we were originally hoping to start his heartworm treatment, but we ended up having a long quality of life discussion instead.

Flash has not been thriving. He’s been in a home environment 6 weeks now and still won’t settle even for a second inside or outside. You’d think the outdoors at least would be his safe space since that’s where he lived his entire life (tied up on a short rope), but he’s constantly on alert and stressed out there too. He paces and barks 24/7. He isn’t interested in toys or enrichment activities or food or people or other dogs so there truly isn’t any joy for him. Being blind and deaf doesn’t help either. It may just be that humans failed him from the start in never teaching him what it’s like to be a dog and how to enjoy life.

We know that a sedated life on anxiety meds isn’t a life, and neither is how he’s living now. So, Flash is being spoiled rotten and eating a McDonald’s feast and donut holes from the local bakery for breakfast and we are letting him go to finally find some peace.

We were fully prepared to take on all Flash’s needs, get him through heartworm treatments, surgeries, and hopefully find him a loving family with an adoptive home. But Flash wasn’t up for it and it wasn’t fair to put him through it all. Euthanasia was not a decision we took lightly but ultimately one we made in Flash’s best interest.

Thank you to everyone who supported Flash:

-Marion County Illinois Animal Control who stepped up to remove Flash from cruel living conditions and allowed his second chance to happen
-Sabra and Martha who fostered Flash and provided the safe home he never knew
-Wrapped in Love: artisans with a mission for sending Flash a handmade blanket that he cuddled up with every night
-Everyone who donated to Flash’s medical care

Flash will never be forgotten. 🌈

10/14/2026

Thank you to Wrapped in Love: artisans with a mission for sending Flash his own blanket which he absolutely loves! 💙 It must be so different being blind and going from sleeping outside on a tie to sleeping in a big comfy bed (in the best way).

10/07/2026

Howie, Steve, and Neville 💙 A gang of total weirdo old man misfits.

10/06/2026

‼️Flash needs a foster home ‼️ You all know Flash. You’ve followed his rags to riches story and supported him since he came to us just under 2 weeks ago. Now he needs your help more than ever to find a stable foster home placement (NO CATS) committed to getting him through the medical care he needs. Unfortunately, his current foster had a change in schedule and is no longer available. Flash is heartworm positive and not neutered (yet - we hope he will be a surgical candidate!)

Flash is deaf and blind and still adjusting to life inside a home after living outdoors his whole life. Luckily, he’s confident and doesn’t let his deficits deter him. Here’s a snapshot of daily life with Flash:

🐶 Beagle/heeler/cattle dog mix under 30 lbs
🐶 Fine living with other dogs and cats
🐶 Likes pets but doesn’t seek out attention
🐶 Not a snuggly couch potato and prefers to just roam and explore the house all day
🐶 Sleeps through the night in a play pen
🐶 Poops outside but wears a male wrap in the house in case of p*e accidents (this may be remedied with a consistent schedule!)
🐶 Would benefit from a yard to roam around in or someone who likes to take dog walks
🐶 He has a beagle howl so NO apartments or townhomes
🐶 No interest in toys but he likes food so we will provide treat puzzles, enrichment toys, and chews to try

Again, Flash is JUST learning what it’s like to be an indoor pet and he will settle in with a regular routine and schedule.

Flash is a special dog who deserves a dedicated environment to help him adjust to a brand new life where he’s viewed as a household companion instead of a lawn ornament.

He will need to be taken to vet visits (which we cover 100%) for ongoing heartworm treatment and senior care.

If you are interested in changing a dog’s life and fostering Flash, potentially long-term (we do NOT want to keep shifting him around), please reach out with any questions or apply! https://www.shelterluv.com/matchme/foster/NWMN/Dog

10/04/2026

Flash realizing that life is a billion times better when you’re not tied to the roof of a shed on a short rope 🙌

09/28/2026

THANK YOU!! We received an incredible outpouring of support for Flash and are beyond grateful.

It’s quite an adjustment to home comforts when you’re blind and spent your entire life tied up outside, but Flash continues settling in. And even discovered that climbing on the couch is fun!

Now that his GI issues are settling down and he’s getting more comfortable, we are making an appointment with the vet to go over his laundry list of health concerns and make a plan of action of where to start.

The ultimate goal is to get Flash healthy, happy, and adopted! ❤️⚡️

09/25/2026

This is Flash ❤️⚡️ He’s a blind and deaf senior who spent his entire life with a rope wrapped around his neck 3 times and fastened to the roof of a shed. His world was only as big as that rope allowed.

Flash was lucky enough to find himself at Marion County Illinois Animal Control, a small facility in southern Illinois. While he was the oldest dog they’d ever taken in and they didn’t have the resources to address the extensive care he needed, they believed he deserved a second chance despite his age and that help was out there. So now he’s with us!

Here’s everything going on with Flash (that we know of):

-Heartworm positive
-Perineal hernia (operable??)
-Not neutered
-Diarrhea and vomiting - labs suggest pancreatitis and/or gastritis
-Elevated kidney values/concern for kidney disease

For now, we’re going to take things day by day. First, we’ll get his GI issues under control and then we’ll make a plan of action with a vet to follow up on the rest of his health concerns depending on what is realistic in his condition.

Huge thanks to Whitney and Brenda at animal control and Sabra for taking in Flash as a foster, at least temporarily, so he can finally enjoy the comforts of a home.

If you’d like to donate to Flash:

💌 PayPal/Zelle: [email protected]
📱Venmo:

Interested in fostering or fostering to adopt? 👇
https://www.shelterluv.com/matchme/foster/NWMN/Dog

09/24/2026

There are a lot of new senior lovers following this page so I wanted to take the time to (re)introduce myself (Zoe) and Newman Nation, especially since I’m going to share a new needy senior intake tomorrow and beg for money 😉

Newman Nation: Senior Pets United was founded in December 2016 (almost 10 years!) in honor of my adopted senior dog and total obsession, Newman. Somehow my little passion project to rescue all the worst off seniors in the world has survived almost a decade, simply because of dedicated and generous supporters who believe that ratty, old ass pets deserve a chance and have continued to fund their astronomical vet bills.

Newman Nation has always been 100% foster-based and volunteer-run (just me 💀). This means that we don’t pay for a facility or wages and 100% of your donation goes towards vet bills or senior supplies, like diapers, medications, or supplements. With the exception of $100-$300 a year going towards government costs to renew required non-profit or shelter licenses.

I also HATE asking for money. And in-person fundraisers. There are billions of deserving rescues with animals equally in need and they should get your money too. So I only ask for donations when it’s truly needed and we break even every year in expenses:donations.

We’ve operated on a very small scale the past few years, only taking in a few special senior cases at a time with what our budget and foster availability allows. And my own sanity. I could never take a salary from this so I work full-time in a management position within the pet food industry and also provide full-time, sleepless, stressful care for my own household of absolute invalid senior creatures who I wouldn’t trade for the world (pictured).

I’m grateful to have some incredible fosters who continue to show up and get their hearts broken again and again with hospice cases. We’ve lost many great people simply because fostering seniors can be so emotionally draining. And I’m endlessly thankful for the donors whose support we wouldn’t exist without.

Any questions? Ask away. And stay tuned for our newest senior announcement! 🐾

- Zoe (and personal NN dogs Neville, Peanut, Piglet, Howie, and Steve)

09/16/2026

📍 Metropolis, IL
Contact Project Hope Humane Society if you are interested in opening your home to this sweet senior!

***PLEASE SEE UPDATES IN CAPITAL LETTERS ***
This week we are sharing some of our special needs pets! Bugs is sweet fella who is approximately 10 years old. He has such a sad story! Bugs and his 2 other house mates were surrendered to our shelter in 2019 due to the owners being disabled and unable to care for the dogs. All the dogs were adopted but years later we were told that Bugs was being kept tied outside and he was limping. Project Hope staff went to get him and repossessed him. Bugs had a broken paw, was very skinny and had gone blind. He immediately got the care he needed and now he is doing so well! His blindness doesn't slow him down and after having his leg in a cast for a while, it has healed nicely. Bugs likes other dogs and is very friendly to people, BUT HE DOES NOT LIKE CATS, and SHOULD NOT BE AROUND SMALL DOGS. He has been neutered, vaccinated and microchipped and would love a family to spend the rest of his years with. His adoption fee is only $75. If you are interested in giving this sweet blind boy a home then please give us a call! 618-638-4555