“Pets for presents? Shelter urges caution when adopting an animal during the holiday season - San Jose Mercury News” plus 1 more |
| Posted: 04 Dec 2010 01:24 AM PST |
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| Posted: 04 Dec 2010 02:14 AM PST  Janice, who live on the upper West Side, enjoys her weekly visits from Barkley, a springer spaniel, and Tom O'Connor from Search and Care. When Barkley bounds into the stately upper West Side apartment he sits down, lifts his paw and politely begs for a cookie with his killer brown eyes. "He lops up every crumb," said Janice, a sharp 92-year-old native New Yorker who loves dogs but lives alone and can no longer care for one. "It's a nice and easy relationship between the three of us," she said, of the springer Spaniel and his human companion Tom O'Connor. The duo volunteers through Search and Care, a community-based volunteer group that services home-bound seniors living between 86th St. to 110th St., in Manhattan. Many of its elderly clients have their own beloved pets that they struggle to care for. "Their pets are their lifeline," said outreach and volunteer coordinator Robin Strashun. Its new Pets & Eldercare Empowerment Program needs volunteers that can help walk, feed and groom dogs, clean kitty litter and arrange for vet visits. Or they can bring their own pet. The innovative program was made possible by a grant from Amie's Place Foundation, which funds programs that help people care for their pets in times of need because no one is there to help. "We all know someone who needs this kind of help, and it's not just the aged," said Dr. Lewis Gelfand, a Long Island veterinarian who runs the foundation. It was created by one of his clients who was refusing to be hospitalized because she couldn't find care for her miniature schnauzer, Amie. "When she came home, her dog was there, waiting for her, and that meant everything," said Gelfand, who provided care for the beloved pooch. In her gratitude, the anonymous donor pledged her life savings to fund programs that protect the human-animal bond in times of need. Amie's Place is currently funding programs for Beth Israel Hospital, the Jewish Association for Services for the Aged, and the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals. Nonprofit groups interested in creating a pet-care assistance program can apply for a grant at www.amiesplacefoundation.org. "Without programs for the elderly, homeless, or victims of domestic violence, pets will continue to be euthanized or dropped in shelters when their owner can no longer care for them," said Jennifer Coffey, a social worker with the Mayor's Alliance. The following programs offer pet assistance to New Yorkers of all ages in times of need. The Amie's Place Patient's Pet Care Program at Beth Israel Medical Center provides volunteers to care for pets in the patient's home while they are in the hospital or will arrange for boarding and veterinary services. Call (212) 420-5681 or go to www.bethisraelny.org Search and Care Foundation's Pet & Elder Empowerment Project. Volunteers assist with pet care of elderly clients from 86th to 110th Sts. www.searchandcare.org amy.sacks2@gmail.com This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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