How can I have another dog?

As Heathcliff2352 says the Cinnamon Trust looks for carers but I think if you re- home a dog yourself and are then unable to look after it they will take over its care. Have a look at their website:
Cinnamon.org.uk

In her later years, my mil fostered a series of older dogs whose owners were ill or who needed care themselves. Some only stayed with her for a month or two until their owners recovered, some stayed longer until they themselves died.

You do have to be able to live them and then lose them, the same as human foster parents but I know it gave her much satisfaction.

She had the assurance that if she became unable to look after the current dog, the charity would take the dog back.

It was a local independently run charity but the Cinnamon Trust sounds very similar.

Will rescues rehome to older people ? I ve heard a lot of people who don’t get accepted because of their age

Have a look at the Cinnamon Trust website. They look for forever foster carers for dogs whose owners have had to go into care or have sadly passed away. As a forever foster carer the dog is placed with you for the rest of its life, although it remains the responsibility of the Cinnamon Trust.They pay for all the costs of pet, vets bills etc and provide holiday cover and if you were unable to continue to care for the pet then they would take it back into their care. All the details are on their website under forever fostering. Worth having a look. Good luck.

There will be a lonely older dog in a rescue centre just waiting for someone like you to take them home Katjoy. I hope you find him/her soon.

Another one here suggesting rescue or foster an older dog
Some charities will place as foster so help with vet bills etc

That’s what I thought Maybee70.
I work in a rescue Center and many of our dogs have had their owners die and it’s so sad seeing them come from a home where they have been loved all their life and suddenly they are in a cold outside kennel with other dogs barking away.
Sometimes foster parents make friends with others and the dogs are always cared for in emergencies or when you want to go away.
Give it some thought please.

I understand many rescues struggle to rehome older dogs so that could be something for you to investigate. Certainly when we adopted our boy, we had to sign an agreement saying that if we were no longer able to take care of him, we had to return him to the rescue.

We lost our lovely dog in June. She was 13. We got her at the age of 8 when her original owner passed away. She was a small dog and very much a lap dog. We miss her so much.

We have had other dogs in the past and said that we wouldn't have another dog as they are tying and it is so upsetting when they die.

I am in a similar position as Katjoy. I would like to get another dog, mainly for the company, but worry that I am too old for a puppy. I am 68.

I would consider a rescue dog similar to our last dog. My only regret was that she was 8 when we got her so we only had 5 years with her.

I have considered contacting dog rescues but wonder if they will think I am being too picky if I say I am looking for a specific breed and a certain age limit.

I think The Dogs Trust have a scheme for people worried about what would happen to their pets if they (the owner) became ill or died.

Could you offer to foster a dog for eg the greyhound trust? I know it means that the dog might be rehomed at some point but it means you are not committed to being responsible for it for the rest of it’s life; you are getting companionship and the dog is getting a proper home not just kennels ( which are never the same no matter how much they love the dogs). I do know of an elderly whippet that needs a home where it needs to be an only dog ( not reactive but is only used to being on it’s own) and just needs a garden to potter about in.

Maybe have a think about adopting an older dog? I can understand why you are reluctant to get another one, but I think the companionship and love you get back from having one to look after, outweighs the ‘what happens to my dog if I can’t look after it anymore’. You can make arrangements now so if need be, your dog will be cared for. I couldn’t be without my dog. He’s only 10 months old, but oh my goodness he really is my little fur baby.

Can you afford a quality insurance policy - one with "emergency boarding" in case you are ill?

PDSA Pet Insurance includes "Your hospitalisation and boarding fees" on their Lifetime Cover for example and others may do it as an extra.
​Direct Line also includes "pet boarding" in their Advanced Cover I see...

I'm not sure how this works if you just are a bit "low" or "under the weather" but certainly would kick in if hospitalised.

Then you need to look at the worst case scenario (if you were to die).
Would a charity re-home for something in your will?