At this 'cuddle club,' senior dogs and senior citizens find companionship in each other

Once a month at San Francisco’s Muttville Senior Dog Rescue, local senior citizens gather to snuggle up with gray-muzzled pups. They call themselves the Cuddle Club — or Seniors for Seniors — and they’re a project of Little Brothers Friends of the Elderly, an organization that works to reduce loneliness among seniors in the Bay Area.“To be able to feel a warm body, a heartbeat, lots of kisses, that's absolutely terrific,” 77-year-old Kay Livingston told CBS News.The Cuddle Club is open to anyone ages 62 or older — or nine, if you’re a dog.

A Cuddle Club participant snuggles with a dog. Photo courtesy of Muttville Senior Dog Rescue/FacebookThe goal is simple: To give senior citizens an opportunity to connect with one another, relax a bit with a furry friend, and show these elderly dogs some love while they wait to find their forever homes.“Our dogs get a whole hour of cuddles,” Angela Di Martino, Muttville’s community engagement manager said, adding that many of the Cuddle Club members are dog lovers, despite not being able to afford to care for one of the adoptable dogs.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by muttville senior dog rescue (@muttvillesf) But, if seniors are open to adopting, Muttville makes it even easier.“The adoption process for seniors is very much like our standard adoption process. However, if you are 62+ years of age, we waive our $250 adoption fee,” the senior dog sanctuary shares on its website.“We also provide a welcome kit that includes your dog’s harness and collar, a leash, dog bowls, a starter supply of food and medication, a doggy bed, and, if needed, home modifications such as a doggy gate and stairs.”Sherri Franklin.

Photo courtesy of Muttville Senior Dog Rescue/FacebookWhen Sherri Franklin opened Muttville over 18 years ago, senior dogs were being euthanized at shelters regularly. Since then, the rescue has saved an estimated 13,000 senior dogs. Its newest building is completely cage-free, includes a full vet clinic, and has a cozy living room space where volunteers and visitors of any age are encouraged to enjoy the presence of the dogs — and maybe find one to bring home with them.“We changed the whole paradigm of what animal sheltering should be,” Franklin recently told the San Francisco Examiner.

“Everything here was done with the idea of making this stress-free and feel-good for dogs and for humans.”‍You may also like: Dogs offer stress relief, even in tele-therapy settings, according to new study‍A version of this article was originally published in The 2025 Dogs Edition of the Goodnewspaper.‍Header images courtesy of Muttville Senior Dog Rescue/Facebook