Senior dogs and senior citizens find companionship through the Cuddle Club

A small black dog.
(Image credit: iStock)

Through the Cuddle Club, senior dogs and senior citizens connect.

The club was started by the Muttville Senior Dog Rescue in San Francisco as a way to ensure that older dogs get love and attention. Several times a month, the group holds events where senior citizens gather in a room filled with dogs that are 7 or older. After petting and playing with the dogs for about an hour, visitors can then walk the elderly canines, getting them all out into the fresh air for exercise.

"The seniors are giving love to the dogs that they need so much," volunteer Beth Hofer told Today. "The dogs are giving love to the seniors that they need so much." She has seen some dogs who start out nervous and shaking, but after 20 minutes, they are so relaxed they've fallen asleep on their new friend's lap. "You can just see how happy and fulfilled that person is that they were able to help that dog," she said.

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Catherine Garcia, The Week US

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.