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Spirit's Homestretch, Inc.

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Owensboro, KY
Spirit's Homestretch, Inc.

We are a 501c3 organization which exists primarily to help senior dogs in Owensboro, KY.

Board of directors:
Stacey Utley
Shirley Overfield Sandifer
Wayne Sandifer

10/09/2026

Shirley posting.

Goodbye, Dodger.

They all hurt. The totally unexpected goodbye to a dog who was thought to be healthy hurts more. That’s the case with Dodger. He was surrendered to his veterinarian a year ago when the owner no longer wanted him, and there was nothing wrong except that he was deaf. In the year we had him, we got him down from 54 lbs. to an amazing 35. He settled in beautifully from the beginning, rolling over for a belly rub the first day.

He had been represented to us by a client of the vet’s office as a long-haired Dachshund, and the vet had him listed as a retriever mix. He was so unusual, we did a DNA test on him, and he was 50/50 Dachshund and Golden Retriever. He was absolutely beautiful, and always so loving. He immediately fit in and acted as if he had always been here. He enjoyed the back yard, even more so as he shed the excess weight.

His decline was so sudden. One day he seemed fine, then we spotted a tumor in his hindquarters, and he began vomiting and having diarrhea. Bloodwork confirmed almost certain lymphoma, leaky intestines, and beginnings of liver problems. There was nothing to be done, and we said our heartbroken goodbyes.

You have a big yard now, Dodger, with all kinds of flowers, other dogs, other animals. Share your beauty and love with them. I’m still careful getting up from the couch in case you’re lying under my feet.

09/18/2026

Welcome, Benny! (Stacey posting.) Benny was surrendered to a shelter in another county after his owner passed away. He was terribly matted and had to be shaved down. Our vet estimated his age at 14, and honestly he's an old 14. His spine and knees are arthritic, and he is in the early stages of kidney failure. He also had eye infections in both eyes and a corneal ulcer in one eye. He is not crazy about the drops I have to put in his eyes multiple times a day, but as his vision improves he is becoming more curious and engaged. Thankfully he is heartworm negative and his teeth are not bad. He eats well, and loves to be held. He is not fond of the big dogs and will show them his cute underbite if they get too close, but they respect him and keep their distance. Benny has settled in well and is enjoying the doggy door when I'm home. He loves to sunbathe. I have to limit his time catching rays so he doesn't overheat or get sunburned. He knows when it's bedtime and will often beat me to my bed, where I have to gently remove him from my pillow and get him nestled beside me. He's a wonderful addition to the family. ❤️

09/17/2026

Shirley posting.

Remember when sofas were made for humans?

09/09/2026

Shirley posting.

Welcome, Chico.
I was down to 3 dogs and feeling very lonely, when the Webster County Animal Care Shelter reached out to see if we would take a chihuahua who had been running the streets for a while and was in rough shape. They had located 2 previous owners who did not want him back. Stacey immediately accepted for me (she knows me very well), and we got Chico (originally Deo) the next day.

My veterinarian thinks the deformed face, missing the lower jaw and having no teeth at all, was most likely the result of being hit by a car years ago. He also has a twisted spine, and a damaged eye that were probably caused by the accident. His bloodwork was remarkably good for having been on his own.

He is 14 years ago, but surprisingly spry. He’s extremely loving with me, always close by, but distant with others. He settled right in as if he had always lived here, immediately caught onto the routine and added his voice to the not always polite requests for meals and treats. There have been no problems with the other dogs, and I am delighted to have him.

08/07/2026

Shirley posting

Goodbye, Magnolia.

On January 5th of this year, It Takes a Village asked us to take Magnolia, a senior miniature fox terrier with multiple health problems. A full exam confirmed that she had heart problems, dental disease, kidney and liver problems. We brought her home thinking it would be for just a few weeks, just to give her as much love and care as we could for her remaining days.

She surprised us by living another 5 1/2 months, mostly quiet and non-demanding, but occasionally insisting very dramatically when she thought it was mealtime. She loved all the dog beds, ate well, went outside willingly and often.

When all her problems ganged up on her, she quit eating, and had a really bad seizure, we knew it was time to let her go. She went peacefully, surrounded by love.

I hope you're running and playing with all the energy you had as a youngster, Magnolia. We miss you.

08/05/2026

Welcome, Autumn! (Stacey posting.) Autumn is a 12-year-old German shepherd whose owner could no longer give Autumn the care she needed. Autumn had been used as a breeder, but was ultimately booted outside to live in a kennel without the human interaction she craves. Her coat was a matted mess which had to be completely shaved off. Many thanks to the rescuer who picked up Autumn and fostered her for a few days. She did an outstanding grooming job on her. Now that Autumn is at my house, she is enjoying - once more - all the comforts of living inside and having clean, healthy skin and coat.

Autumn's physical exam revealed a mammary tumor which is not a big surprise. She will have it removed when she is spayed in a couple of weeks. While she did have a wicked UTI for which she has already been treated, her other lab results were good.

Autumn is getting along well with the other dogs and is an absolute velcro dog with me. She had to have been miserable living outside all alone. She is always where I am and loves being touched. She has some anxiety but is slowly improving as she learns she is in a good, safe place now.

07/29/2026

Several people have guessed at the heritage of our new family member, Sandy. Her story is in a previous post. Here is what Wisdom Panel had to say about her:

32% Labrador Retriever
19% Chow
14% Beagle
11% Treeing Walker Coonhound
10% Siberian Husky

3% or less of the following:
GSD, Bluetick Coonhound, Collie, Border Collie, Lhasa Apso, Australian Cattle Dog, Boxer

Sandy was believed to be an Australian Shepherd mix, and like several of you I thought she also resembled a St. Bernard with her coloring. Nope, nope, nope! Mostly lab, chow, and beagle. Totally unexpected results. 😄

07/27/2026

Welcome, Sandy! (Stacey posting.) This beautiful 12-year-old was surrendered to a shelter in a nearby county. She did not adjust well to shelter life, so a volunteer there reached out to see if we had room. Thankfully, the answer was yes.

Sandy is positive for heartworm, ehrlichia, and Lyme. That's a lot. The treatment for ehrlichia and Lyme is a course of doxycycline, but that drug is known to cause stomach upset and Sandy definitely feels that effect. We can only hope that it will be effective despite her not being able to receive the entire recommended treatment. She will also be undergoing heartworm treatment soon, so that will be yet another battle she'll have to fight. Due to lab work, X-rays, and meds so far, Sandy has racked up an impressive vet bill.

Between Sandy and another new family member who will be introduced soon, we have spent about $1,000 in the past few weeks. If you are able to help, you can click the donate button under our banner picture, or you can give via PayPal at This is the direct link to paypal.
PayPal.me/spiritshomestretch

Thanks so much for helping us care for these seniors!

Anyone want to guess Sandy's breeds? I got her DNA done and will post results soon.

06/26/2026

Welcome and Godspeed, Hodge. (Stacey posting.) Hodge was a stray who found himself at our local shelter. He stayed there a month but no one came looking for him. Shelter staff reached out and asked if we could take him. Thankfully we were able to, and he came to live at my house. He was terribly thin and mostly uninterested in eating more than a few bites at a time, and seldom wanted the same thing twice. It is so frustrating and sad to watch a dog waste away. After extensive lab work, X-rays, and ultrasound, the diagnosis was end-stage liver failure. Even with that diagnosis, Hodge was happy to be in a home again and immediately claimed his spot on my bed. He slept with me every night during the short time he was here. The decision to let him go was a tough one, but nothing could fix his liver and he continued to refuse most food. I decided to let him go before he felt miserable. I am very happy to say that I did find something he was eager to eat during his last couple of days so he enjoyed many small meals before he passed. Ironically, he refused even this food the morning of his appointment. He passed peacefully and quietly with my arms around him. I wish he'd been with me longer but I'm grateful he was part of my life for even a couple of weeks. Run free, sweet boy.

05/26/2026

Welcome, Penny! (Stacey posting.) This chunky charmer came from the McLean County Shelter. Penny had been adopted from there about a year ago, but her adopter developed some health issues. Penny also developed health issues in that year - heartworms, 20 extra pounds, and an enlarged heart. Her adopter felt she couldn't give Penny the care she needed and took her back to the shelter. When the shelter director reached out, I couldn't resist that face. Penny has done very well with all the other dogs in the house and loves having a fenced back yard as opposed to living in an apartment with no yard as in her previous home. Sometimes she needs to be encouraged to come back in the house. She loves sleeping with me at night, and always waits for me to put her on the bed. I have steps by the bed but she isn't fond of them.

Penny got a good checkup, considering her 2 serious conditions. She will start heartworm treatment soon. She's already been started on a diet. Even with her weight, she is agile and actually runs a bit. She will be unstoppable once she's at a healthy weight.

Penny is sweet and smart and sometimes sassy. I'm so glad she's here!

Address

524 E 27th Street
Owensboro, KY
42303

Website

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