Seniors for Seniors
PAWS announces a new program to team up senior citizens and senior pets. “Seniors for Seniors”, adopted from a national humane organization, hopes to unite the elderly with their perfect companion pet. Seniors 60 years or older will be matched with a dog or cat that is 6 years or older to form a perfect union.
Lot’s of times senior citizens want younger pets, but we encourage them to take an older pet, they are the perfect choice because older pets are generally calmer, quieter and easier to care for. More importantly, they are a companion that gives their owners a reason to get out of bed in the morning and a great reason to get outside and exercise.
Puppies and kittens take a dedication that any new pet owners know too well; it requires patience while training and constant reinforcement. The elderly do much better with elderly pets as most are already trained and housebroken and only require a loving home and owner. Senior Jenny Huggins of Rector went to PAWS after hearing of the program and adopted a 7-year-old Pomeranian named “Sophie” for herself and her 44-year old mentally handicapped daughter. The dog and daughter are inseparable, with the dog sleeping by her side and following her wherever she goes.
Dogs and cats used as pet therapy to the elderly in nursing homes and the homebound is a national trend proven to reduce stress and anxiety. Elderly people who own pets will statistically live longer and feel responsible and needed by their companion pets. Often many of the elderly are widows and a pet provides companionship that is extremely therapeutic. Through grants the adoption fee is waived or a reduced adoption fee is given to the elderly. Ongoing benefits include assisting with transportation, low cost grooming and boarding, and low cost pet supplies. The Greene County Endowment Foundation granted PAWS $500 in 2001 and $50 in 2005 and 2006 and another $500 grant from the Martha Barber Animal Welfare Endowment through the Arkansas Community Foundation was granted in 2006 to keep this important program going. In 2007 PAWS was granted another $450 for this program from GCEF and another $300 from the Martha Barber Animal Welfare Endowment.
PAWS not only offers a reduced adoption fee to the elderly but ongoing benefits include assisting with transportation to the vet and low cost grooming and boarding.
