Looking to your golden years, you probably imagine the comfort of your own home with the people you love, not alone and searching for a new family.

But a few elderly dogs at the Humane Society of Central Oregon are hoping for just that. Scarlet, Dinah and Ailia, Brittany spaniels, were the oldest of the bunch to come to the Humane Society of Central Oregon after law enforcement seized dogs from an overcrowded East Bend home last fall. Most of the dogs who came, 36 in total, were the Brittany spaniel breed. The rest were either Australian terriers or basset hounds. For the first two months the dogs were there, the shelter only took necessary care, like cleaning and trimming overgrown nails. They couldn’t have the animals spayed or neutered until Deschutes County legally put them in the shelter’s care.

Like most elderly dogs, the three face long-term medical conditions that required surgeries after the other pups were spayed, neutered and adopted. Humane Society of Central Oregon allowed Scarlet, Dinah and Ailia to gain some weight and be relieved of the stress of a crowded house before they put them into surgery. Now they are in good health and ready to be adopted. Lynne Ouchida, community outreach manager for the society, will be excited to see the animals placed somewhere long term. She explained that the three left were sociable and loving dogs, the “cream of the crop” in terms of personality.

“Given time,” Ouchida said, “all of these will settle really nicely into a home.”

Scarlet, 14, is the “snuggler.” Any time she can cozy up to a two-legged friend, she will. She enjoys the attention and warmth of people, as well as sunshine. Scarlet has mammary cancer, likely the result of not being spayed until old age.

Dinah, 14, is the most independent of the three. She loves to sniff around and run in the play area outside. She was spayed during her time at the society.

Ailia, 11, is the youngest and most energetic. She is now healthy enough for adoption after being spayed and undergoing surgeries for a severe hernia and full dental work. Still, she is the most social and vocal of the dogs.

LaPaw Animal Hospital donated more than $5,000 in surgery fees to work on Ailia and another dog, Bernie, also from the raid, who needed to be neutered and have 19 teeth removed, according to Ouchida. Happily, Bernie was adopted, and the humane society hopes that Ailia soon will be too.

For dogs who spent a great majority of their lives in cramped kennels indoors, the shelter employees have noticed how much the dogs enjoy the fresh air.

“They’re very curious to see outside,” Ouchida said as she held a tugging leash Friday. The dogs are taken out to play daily. All of them show good evidence of house training and keep their kennels clean. Still, Ouchida explained, they may need some reminding and getting back into a routine would help.

Their behaviors are familiar to Nichole Morgans, who works full time at the Humane Society of Central Oregon as a dog kennel assistant. She has spent a lot of time with the three Brittany spaniels.

“Nichole made (Ailia) fat,” Ouchida said with a laugh as they looked at the three elderly dogs. Morgans smiled and defended Ailia’s weight gain; after all, the dogs look significantly better than when they first came in.

Scarlet and Ailia are both eating the regular dog food served by the society. Dinah is on a prescription diet, but Ouchida and Morgans estimate that may not be necessary long term.

“It does need to be someone who is open to the senior responsibilities of a dog,” Ouchida said.

People interested in adopting one of the three Brittany spaniels would have to bring in any dogs they already have for a “meet-and-greet.” Ouchida described the dogs as each wanting to be the “center of attention,” not one of 36.

Morgans said even though she’ll be excited to see the dogs in a home, she’ll definitely miss them.

“It’s bittersweet,” Morgans said. “You get used to seeing them every day.”

— Reporter: 541-383-0325,

kfisicaro@bendbulletin.com