This Tennessee Sanctuary Gives Senior Dogs A Comfortable Place To Spend Their Golden Years
I keep wondering how one 15-year-old dog ended up changing far more than one household.
Bandit had been returned to a shelter before two engineers brought him home, and that decision eventually grew into something much larger in Tennessee.
What happened next is the part I would rather not spoil too quickly.
The idea expanded beyond one backyard, beyond one dog, and eventually began helping older dogs in ways that reach far past a single property.
I can’t stop thinking about how much care grew from one late-in-life adoption.
Today, the work touches hundreds of senior dogs, including many that do not even live at the sanctuary itself.
How did one dog become the starting point for a mission this wide?
One Old Dog Named Bandit Started Everything
A 15-year-old dog named Bandit helped give Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary its purpose.
Founders Zina and Michael Goodin were mechanical engineers who became involved with a Golden Retriever rescue before turning their attention to older dogs.
In 2011, Bandit came into their lives after being returned to a shelter. His experience drew attention to an overlooked group of animals: senior dogs that needed steady homes and care tailored to their age.
The couple began welcoming more older dogs into their house, eventually developing the project into a nonprofit organization in 2012.
What began as a home-based effort soon required more room, more helpers, and a more structured daily routine.
A separate facility opened in 2017, followed by a larger purpose-built campus in 2021. The growth made it possible to care for dogs with different personalities, energy levels, and medical requirements.
Since its nonprofit beginnings, Old Friends has welcomed more than 1,400 senior dogs into its program. Bandit’s place in the story remains simple and memorable: one adoption helped inspire a lasting commitment to many more animals.
The PAWvillions Prove Old Dogs Deserve Nice Digs
A building at 765 Nonaville Rd in Mt. Juliet with more than 20,000 square feet of indoor space sounds enormous for a dog sanctuary.
The PAWvillions uses that space to give senior residents several ways to spend their days, from group lounging to quieter time in individual rooms.
Opened in 2021, the campus stands on nine acres of grassy and wooded property in Mount Juliet.
Inside are communal living areas and indoor play spaces, useful when the Tennessee weather encourages a comfortable afternoon indoors.
Some dogs have private suites with access to individual play yards. This flexibility matters because personalities vary: one resident might enjoy company, while another may be happiest resting somewhere peaceful.
Outside, fenced yards connect the living areas with fresh air and exercise opportunities. The wooded surroundings make the building feel less like a conventional kennel and more like a purpose-built home for dogs entering their senior years.
Even the name PAWvillions offers a little playful personality, fitting for a place where lounging is an entirely respectable afternoon plan.
Veterinary Care Is Part Of Everyday Life
The veterinary clinic isn’t an occasional extra at Old Friends. It is part of the sanctuary itself, complete with a rehabilitation area designed to support aging dogs as their needs change.
Aging can bring differences in mobility, hearing, vision, and energy.
Some residents benefit from medication or specialized nutrition, while others need regular examinations and a little more help moving comfortably.
Having veterinary services on the property allows the team to coordinate ongoing care with daily routines. Rehabilitation services can also support dogs needing extra attention to movement and strength.
The medical commitment extends far beyond the building.
Dogs placed in the Forever Foster program continue receiving veterinary care through the sanctuary, including prescription medications, preventatives, and prescription food when required.
Families caring for dogs on ordinary diets generally provide that food themselves.
The distinction is small but important: this is a shared arrangement in which guardians handle everyday companionship and the sanctuary takes responsibility for medical support.
Splash Pads And Wooded Trails Make Room For Fun
A splash pad might seem like an unexpected feature at a sanctuary for older dogs, but it fits the idea that senior years can still include plenty of fun.
The PAWvillions has a dedicated water-play area, along with outdoor yards for gentle activity. Some residents enjoy exploring the grass, while others prefer a slower stroll or an opportunity to rest in the fresh air.
A wooded trail adds something different. For a dog, changing scents can be as interesting as a new destination, and walking through the trees provides a chance to investigate the surroundings at an individual pace.
Staff and volunteers also help residents enjoy the grounds through walks and stroller rides. Those options let dogs take part in outdoor time according to their comfort and mobility.
The volunteer program even includes splash-pad sessions when conditions allow, making water play a supervised activity rather than a daily expectation.
A pleasant patch of grass and a good collection of interesting smells can be enough to make an old dog’s afternoon.
Geezer Guardians Make The Mission Much Bigger
The sanctuary has an unusually affectionate title for the families in its Forever Foster program: Geezer Guardians.
These approved households welcome senior dogs into their homes while Old Friends continues supporting their veterinary needs.
More than 400 dogs live with Geezer Guardians, compared with roughly 80 to 100 residents staying at the main sanctuary or preparing for placement.
The arrangement is meant to be lasting. Dogs become part of their foster households, sharing everyday routines, quiet evenings, and comfortable places to rest.
Prospective guardians must live within 100 travel miles of Mount Juliet so their dogs can receive care through the sanctuary’s veterinary clinic.
The application includes a veterinary reference and a virtual home visit, followed by an appointment to meet suitable dogs once approved.
Applicants should also be prepared for the particular requirements of an older animal, including possible medication schedules or mobility considerations.
It is a carefully coordinated relationship between the guardian, the staff, and the dog. The most important part happens away from the sanctuary: an older companion finding a consistent place in daily family life.
Guided Tours Introduce Visitors To The Dogs
Meeting the residents is possible, but Old Friends is a working animal sanctuary rather than a drop-in attraction. Guided visits are arranged in advance, with limited places available for each group.
Tours typically last about an hour and take guests through the story of the organization and the purpose of the PAWvillions.
Along the way, participants can meet some of the senior dogs and see how the spaces support their routines.
Regular tour times are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Children aged five and older can attend, and the sanctuary welcomes donations that support its care program.
The experience introduces the mission rather than providing a private appointment with an individual dog.
Those interested in fostering a particular resident should begin with the Geezer Guardian application and arrange a separate introduction.
There’s plenty to learn from seeing the sleeping areas, outdoor spaces, and daily care arrangements. The most memorable moment may simply be meeting a gray-muzzled dog who has decided it’s time for a leisurely hello.
The Mount Juliet Address Makes Planning Simple
Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary is at 765 Nonaville Road in Mount Juliet, approximately 20 miles east of Nashville.
Its nine-acre setting provides room for the main building, outdoor activity areas, and wooded grounds.
For those exploring Middle Tennessee, the trip can fit into a day outside the city, provided a tour has been arranged first.
The facility generally operates Monday through Saturday, with Sunday reserved for its regular care routines rather than public tours.
Scheduled tours are distinct from general business hours, so arriving during the day doesn’t automatically mean visitors can enter. Choosing an available tour time ahead of the journey is essential.
The grounds are designed first for the resident dogs, whose feeding, exercise, veterinary appointments, and quiet periods continue regardless of the public schedule.
Potential volunteers follow a different process that includes an application and orientation. Once trained, they may help with walking, laundry, supervised play, or individual companionship.
Two Documentaries Brought The Story To A Wider Audience
The senior dogs of Old Friends have also appeared on screen.
The 2020 documentary Seniors: A Dogumentary explores the personalities and abilities of older dogs, with the Mount Juliet sanctuary among its main subjects.
A second film, Old Friends: A Dogumentary, arrived in 2022. It follows the organization’s transition into the PAWvillions, capturing the move into a building created specifically for its residents.
Together, the films show two sides of the same mission. One celebrates the character of older companions; the other focuses on the people, planning, and facilities that support them.
The newer documentary offers a close look at the scale of the sanctuary, including the challenge of moving a large group of dogs into their new surroundings.
For people unable to visit Tennessee, the films provide another way to understand what the organization does and why senior-specific care matters. The story began with Bandit and a family opening their home.
Today, its reach extends through the PAWvillions, veterinary services, and hundreds of Geezer Guardian households, all connected by the same idea: older dogs deserve comfort, companionship, and a place to belong.
