My mom and I have been thinking about starting an organization for senior citizens that own pets. There are tons of health benefits like people that own pets live longer and have fewer hospitalizations. I have lots of research papers that prove this.
I know a lot of people don't get a dog because they can't afford it and they are afraid of what will happen to it once they pass away.
I want to start an origination to help seniors in my community afford the basics of pet care (vaccinations, food, spay and neuter, grooming, training etc) and provide adoptions if the person passes away.
I am trying to get a feel to see if people think this is a good idea. Please tell me what you think before I start working on corporate sponsorship.
2007-10-21 04:44:25 · 12 answers · asked by lizard S 4 in Society & Culture ➔ Cultures & Groups ➔ Senior Citizens
I am thinking of more like bi-monthly fairs were people could bring in the pets for all these things and have small classes to teach the seniors.
2007-10-21 05:45:56 · update #1
In our area the local Humane Society does this for seniors. They provide low cost adoption fees, reduced rates for vet care and shots, pet food for those who cant afford it and even volunteer pet sitters in case the senior is hospitalized. They also have a card that a senior who lives alone carries in their wallet to allert medical personnel that they have a pet at home that needs to be taken care of and gives names of who should be notified if the senior cant return home.
2007-10-21 04:54:20 · answer #1 · answered by Diane M 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
its good for seniors to have pets if they can afford them and so forth... but it will be a money pit for you unless you have good financial backing... because responsible pet owner ship means not having a pet if you cannot afford it - AND being able to provide a LIFETIME COMMITMENT.. seniors should NOT be getting kittens or pups... this is entirely unfair to the pet.
yes I support rehoming pets of people who have passed away, and many older pets make great companions for older people (yet so often older people want kittens or pups and are not making intelligent choice of picking an older animal)
I would like to see you rescue older animals from shelters (ones that are already spayed/neutered, housetrained, vaccinated... and try to place those animals with seniors..
but warn you NOT to adopt to people who cannot afford it.. or you will be in debt in no time.
2007-10-21 04:54:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Sounds good to me. I got a Jack Russell from a shelter, wonderful little girl and we got along fine. Problem was she loved me, but not my life style. She needed a big yard and kids to run some of the energy off. Definitely not an apartment dog. Fortunately I have a nephew with teen age kids and a yard, so I passed her to them and she is much happier. It would have been nice to have a place where I could have discussed breed traits etc. before I got a pet.
2007-10-21 08:32:01 · answer #3 · answered by Ray T 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think it is a great idea...I recently went to the pound to find a lost cat. Oh my goodness you should see all the poor doggies waiting for death row. As their owners are all gone or in nursing homes. They get booted aside and gassed. Yes it has been documented and does help clinically. However, tax payers will not pay for pets, they are already paying for the senior citizen. Sorry I think it is good idea just do not see how you can solve this problem..Blue (the cat) says he has no retirement fund and I have to take him with me. I hope I can find a nursing home that will take him and his cat box. Whoops doubt it. Blue really wishes you would take care of this problem...
2007-10-21 05:27:26 · answer #4 · answered by fnbug 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
EXCELLENT idea! Here in the D.C. area the non profit shelter I get my animals from built a hospital just for lower income pet owners to provide them all that you spoke of. It has been a huge success. You could get some local vets to maybe donate their time? and for free advertising places like PetSmart could do training etc....donate beds, toys
Bless you! and Good Luck
2007-10-21 05:27:43 · answer #5 · answered by sage seeker 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think it is a marvelous idea. I would contact your local ASPCA, perhaps they can give you a discount on the vaccinations and things. Also try pet food companies and see if they wish to donate to your cause either financially or with product, also try contacting the pharmaceutical companies that manufacture flea ridding products and heart worm meds.
Congratulations, I think you will do wonders in your community
2007-10-21 05:56:16 · answer #6 · answered by slk29406 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Would you consider adopting the senior if the pet passes on ?
2007-10-21 12:56:49 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
being the owner of two such "comfort dogs" ( my job in life is to make them as comfortable as possible, their job in life is to provide a constant source of irritation)...this is what I have learned about dogs:
1) the amount of caca you have to clean up is equal to 3 times the amount of food they eat (anyone who says pound in - pound out is equal has never owned a dog!)
2) Dogs will never play in their toilet area...until they have used their toilet area! Paws are remarkable things to try to clean!
3) No matter how much prior planning you do, you will always be out of dog food when the dogs are howling to be fed (cardinal rule of dog care, # 7)
4) Chew toys such as pig's ears were developed by dog shampoo manufacturers....trust me, you must bathe the dog after giving them one of the disgusting smelling things that they will devour, then spread all over their body as perfume!
5) Regardless of who says what, ALL chew toys will be eaten, in little pieces or big. The length of time the chew toy will last is inversely proportional to the cost of the chew toy!
6) Dogs have all studied the DVD's of dog training well in advance of your entering their lives....trust me, they will take the shortest route in your training, they will have you jumping in circle before you know what has happened. At days end, when they prance off to bed, the last thing they bark at you is "collapse" .... and you gladly obey!
7) no matter that you live alone, that no robber has entered your house, when you come in and find everything torn up, the first and only look you will get from you dogs is a blank stare that screams, "What?" (they say "wah?) .... dogs had mastered the innocent look from the DVD mention before.
8) I think your idea is great...it will solve many of today's economic problems. Caring for dogs is a sure way to end seniors lives quickly, if not via sheer exhaustion, then from their own hand!
Peace and love, Goldwing, owner of two (one is never enough) Standard poodles I NICELY refer to as Pit-poodles!
2007-10-21 07:44:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
back in the 80s - 90s I worked for the humane society and they actually had a program to place pets with seniors.you might want to check with them for info/pointers.
2007-10-21 05:24:05 · answer #9 · answered by min 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
very nice my dear love to hear about kindness to seniors and pets have so much love awesome
2016-05-24 00:30:17 · answer #10 · answered by merle 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋