Upper Freehold Senior Dog Sanctuary Gets $175K Grant

UPPER FREEHOLD, NJ — A favorite day of the year for Mary Ellen Harris is when she and Judith Lolli, a friend and co-trustee, visit Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary in Upper Freehold Township.

While at the sanctuary, Harris and Lolli play with the dogs and witness how donations from the Golden Dome Foundation (of which Harris is the co-founder) make a lasting impact. This year was no different.

On June 16, Harris and Lolli stopped by to spread their cheer, as well as an additional $175,000 donation for the non-profit organization.

This is the second consecutive June that the pair visited with a check for that amount, making all the difference for a sanctuary for older, abandoned dogs.

These donations from the Golden Dome Foundation are a savior for a charity that runs on about $1 million a year to maintain a seven-day-a-week facility on 85 acres of land.

The grant will be used to assist senior citizens with older dogs who are caring for them at home, and to support senior dogs residing at Marty’s Place and their expensive veterinary costs.

The Golden Dome Foundation chose Marty’s Place as an ongoing recipient based on recommendations from its trustees, including Harris, Lolli, Col. Charles Grinnell and Paul Petigrow, Esq.

The foundation was founded by Harris and her late husband, Dr. Robert H. Harris, who was known for his charitable nature.

“Mary Ellen’s tremendous support allows us to save more senior dogs,” said Doreen Jakubcak, the founder. “She is helping us fulfill our commitment to providing quality care to all residents and peace of mind to pet caregivers in need, knowing their senior dogs have forever homes.”

This is the tenth year of Marty’s Place. Jakubcak was able to find the parcel in Upper Freehold Township and constructed the sanctuary building and a separate indoor pool facility to welcome senior dogs.

Over time, the charity added another building, with a cottage and garages. There are also 25 acres of trails and open spaces, perfect for long dog walks.

“Marty’s Place is close to Mary Ellen’s heart, and I know Dr. Bob would have loved to support this organization, as well,” Lolli said. “This is exactly the type of organization that the Golden Dome Foundation supports: Helping those in need, whether they walk on two legs or four.”

According to Jakubcak, Marty’s Place could not exist without the ongoing generosity of the Golden Dome Foundation and other supporters.

“What Mary Ellen Harris has done to help these senior dogs is more than anyone can imagine,” she said. “Mary Ellen has literally saved their lives.”

To date, Jakubcak said, more than 200 dogs have been served by her non-profit. The walls at Marty’s Place are adorned with photos of residents who have been adopted, sent to live with foster families, or who have passed away.

Dogs – at least seven years of age – who arrive at Marty’s Place may be abandoned, surrendered, or their owners have died. Some of the dogs are sickly, with trauma, requiring extensive medical care.

Staff and volunteers are eager to nurse them back to health with a mix of love, attention, medications, supplements, and special diets and the close supervision of staff.

Marty’s Place can accommodate up to 40 dogs, each with their own room, veterinary care and activities. There is a paid dog care staff, as well as countless volunteers and regular visits from “Seniors for Seniors,” comprising senior citizens who visit to mingle with the dogs.

Marty’s Place also offers pet adoption, as well as a “forever foster” program, in which people take in the dogs, but the organization pays for their medical care and other supports needed to keep them in a loving home.

Marty’s Place is holding its key fundraiser on Oct. 18, from noon to 5 p.m., at the sanctuary, which typically draws more than 1,000 attendees from the tri-state area for an afternoon of music, food trucks, drinks, carnival games, and, of course, plenty of dogs. The event is both family-friendly and fido-friendly.

To learn more about Marty’s Place Senior Dog Sanctuary, you can visit their website.