COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — “There’s something about it. It’s in my heart, and I can't... I just can’t stand to see them not have a place to be.”

Cathy Graeve’s life’s purpose is bringing care and comfort to dogs who need it most.

“I love all dogs, but old dogs, they just get me. Even when they’re peeing on the floor, it’s just like, what do you do?” Graeve laughed.

Her passion was sparked about 15 years ago as a member of a dog walking group at the Council Bluffs shelter.

“We started noticing the senior dogs were the ones that were really getting left behind. There just weren’t a lot of people in our area that were adopting the seniors,” said Graeve.

The group eventually opened Promise 4 Paws Senior Dog Sanctuary, a nonprofit where dogs live out their final years in a home-like environment.

About thirty dogs live at the sanctuary, staffed 24 hours a day.

“We have a few dogs now that are hospice dogs. We bring in some dogs that just, you know, they just come here, and we know their time is really limited, but we give them all the care that they need, and we make sure that they’re comfortable," said Graeve.

Graeve makes sure none of them pass away alone.

“We just keep them until it gets close, and then we make that decision and take them, and they always cross the rainbow bridge with me,” said Graeve.

With help from volunteers and the community, Promise 4 Paws has cared for hundreds of dogs in the last few years.

“I feel very fulfilled taking care of these dogs, and I do feel like if I ever have to stop and I get too old to do this, I’ll feel like I’ve done something to make a difference," said Graeve.

From food to medical costs, caring for each dog adds up fast. Visit their website to learn more about donations.

Danielle Meadows at KMTV first reported this story.

BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV) — BELLEVUE, Neb. (KMTV)-- A 12-year-old went viral earlier this year after video of her running at 17 miles an hour on a treadmill was shared on social media. But there's more to her story.

“I really enjoy doing it and it’s something I think I can go far in. And one of my main goals that I always say is I want to go to the 2024 Olympics,” said 12-year-old sprinter Jaiya Patillo.

Jaiya is well on her way to accomplishing that goal. The 200 and 400-meter track star is already a 9-time Junior Olympian.

Her father, Kevin Patillo, said he saw potential in her as an athlete early on.

“I was laying down sideways on my sofa at home and I would hear Jaiya running and I happened to look at her legs and her legs were not just walking, but they were striding. At that point, I knew she would be a runner,” said Kevin.

Since the age of seven, she’s succeeded in every competitive championship meet she’s ran in, advancing yearly to nationals in both USA Track and Field and the Amateur Athletic Union.

“We’re just proud. We’re just here to support her and be there to make sure she gets as far in life as she wants to go,” said Lt. Col. Sheree Patillo, Jaiya’s mother.

Jaiya has lived in the area for nearly four years, moving here from Ohio after her mother was assigned to Offutt Air Force Base.

“I was so excited to come here when my wife got orders to come here because I remember the Tom Osborne days and the University of Nebraska football. I said, 'Oh man, we are going to a sports state,'” Kevin said.

Jaiya has only improved since coming to Nebraska. She trains multiple times a week.

A video of one training session has gone viral online showing Jaiya running on a treadmill at 17 miles an hour.

“We had started sort of slow, we started at like 12 or 13, and we had planned on stopping at 15, but my coach said it looked like I was jogging so we went up to 17. And I could have went up to 18 but he wanted to stay on the safe side,” said Jaiya.

The video has been seen over 100 million times across multiple platforms, but despite her widespread success...

“The main thing that I focus on is staying humble, staying true to who I am and staying focused,” said Jaiya.

When Jaiya was 11, she hit her personal record times with 26.34 seconds in the 200-meter and 58.78 seconds in the 400-meter.

Her mother said she doesn’t just excel on the track — she succeeds in academics, too.

This story originally reported by Danielle Meadows on 3NewsNow.com.