Retirement, illness, death, and relocation can take away close friends and family members. Pets, especially dogs, are a great way for older adults to spark up conversations and meet new people. “We’re doing what we can to keep people and their pets together, but sadly we are seeing more animals coming into our care,” she adds. “We have 500 animals at our shelter. That’s many mouths to feed. We feel the pinch in terms of buying supplies, keeping up with pet food, and making sure all our animals are healthy,” she adds. Animals in captivity, with the help of caretakers, have been considered to have owned “pets”. Examples of this include Koko the gorilla who had several pet cats, Tonda the orangutan and a pet cat and Tarra the elephant and a dog named Bella.
- Additionally, many refuse to house in shelters if their pet is not allowed to stay with them.
- Up to 2 pets may be checked and they must meet the minimum age and health requirements of the destination.
- And nothing beats loneliness like coming home to a wagging tail or purring cat.
If you have a plan in place for you and your pets, you will likely encounter less difficulty, stress and worry when you need to make a decision during an emergency. If local officials ask you to evacuate, that means your pet should evacuate too. If you leave your pets behind, they may end up lost, injured or worse.
Help! I need to rehome my pet
For information related to pets and monkeypox, visit Pets in the Home .
The benefits of pets for older adults
It will take some time to assess all ferries and prepare designated areas to ensure its safe to allow for cats and dogs. We will keep customers up-to-date about this travel enhancement. Small Pets News including dogs, cats, ferrets, birds and hamsters are all welcome and travel for free.
Studies have also shown that pets can help calm hyperactive or overly aggressive kids. Of course, both the animal and the child need to be trained to behave appropriately with each other. Pets can provide a source of positive, nonverbal communication. The playful interaction and gentle touch from a well-trained, docile animal can help soothe an Alzheimer’s patient and decrease aggressive behavior—as can simply being exposed to bright aquariums or fish tanks.