We take in animals, first and foremost, from shelters in Arizona. Here in Pima County, the number of homeless animals is astounding so we don’t need to go far to find animals who need us. That’s why we don’t take in animals from shelters outside of Arizona. On occasion, we take in animals from owners in Arizona who are very ill, and have no family or friends, and are themselves going into nursing homes or hospice care. We do this to prevent those animals from unnecessarily entering overcrowded shelters.

We are asked many times every day to take in animals, so deciding which ones to take in without sacrificing the health and safety of the ones who are already here is a big decision that weighs heavily on us. When we have space, we take in the animal who we believe most needs to be here, and will best fit in with the pack. In most cases, we will take in an urgent hospice animal who doesn’t have much time left, or we will take in a geriatric animal who has been at a shelter for a very long time.

Nothing is more important to us than the well-being of the animals in our care. Hospice animals who come to Old Souls will peacefully live out their days with us, surrounded by love and receiving the best care possible. That is a huge responsibility and one that we don't take lightly. As a result of limited resources, we cannot take in every animal that people want to surrender to us. We are a completely volunteer-run organization, and the rescue is located in our home.

Bringing an animal into your home is a lifetime commitment. If you genuinely need to find a new home for your animal, consider what you are asking of us or of any rescue that you contact. Think of the time, effort, people, and funding we will need to keep your animal (and every animal in our care) truly comfortable in their final days. If you have an emergency or an urgent need that falls within our mission statement, please contact us and we will do our very best to help you.

Old Souls is powered by the compassion of our community. While we are a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and may receive occasional grants, we do not rely on government funding or corporate sponsors to operate.

Instead, our work is sustained by everyday people who believe in giving geriatric, special needs, and hospice rescue animals the love and care they deserve.

We have no paid staff. Everyone involved, from volunteers to board members (including our Executive Director and Pack Leader) work jobs or run businesses. Every donation goes directly to the animals.

Donate today

Shop Old Souls Swag

Fill our Amazon Wishlists

Order the Old Souls Animal Rescue Coloring Book

Because our residents are elderly, medically fragile, or in hospice care, we limit outside visitors to ensure a calm, low-stress environment. Old Souls is not open to the public for casual visits, but we do host at least one community event each year and welcome approved volunteers on a daily basis!

Follow us on social media for updates and event announcements

Sign up to volunteer and help us care for our residents firsthand

Yes!

We offer internships for students interested in animal care, veterinary medicine, or nonprofit work. Interns get hands-on experience with geriatric, special needs, and hospice animals, and learn what it takes to run a sanctuary rooted in compassion.

We also host group service days for schools, businesses, and community organizations. Whether it’s building sheds, organizing supplies, or chopping up donated produce, there is always something to do (and we hear doody duty builds serious team spirit)!

If you have community service hours to complete (for school, court, or another program), Old Souls is a meaningful and fulfilling place to get them done.

Contact us to learn more about internship and group project opportunities.