Why a Foster Care Program for Pets Might be Right for You

There is always a way for Mom & Dad to enjoy benefits that come from owning a pet!

From the companionship between owner and pet to the joy of loving and caring for another living creature, the experience of owning a pet can add years to a person’s life and make them healthier and happier.

However, many elderly people choose not to keep a pet because they worry about health issues or their ability to take care of a small animal. If you or someone you know is not sure about owning a pet or has health issues that may inhibit full time pet care, I have some ideas.

A great way to begin owning a pet is through a foster care program at animal shelters.

Every foster program is different. Sometimes, people keep a dog or cat as long as it takes for the animals to be adopted. Other times, an elderly person can set the terms of the foster care length, say a month or so. They can even create a “let’s see how it goes” scenario.

Since the shelters don't have space and the animals are less stressed out in a home environment it works for everyone. Sometimes people only have the cat for a week before the animal is adopted. Other times people fall in love with the cat or dog and end up adopting the pet, themselves.

This is a great way to see if the elderly are candidates for full-time pet ownership. This is often a win-win situation for everyone involved. Instead of this pet being at the shelter, it can have a loving home until it finds a permanent home. That is, unless you get so attached you can’t give it up!

Foster care for pets is also a help for overcrowded shelters and gives the older cats a place to call home, even if only on a temporary basis. Talk to your local shelters to see about being a candidate for their foster care program. Who knows? If it works out for you and this pet, you may find a loving companion.

According to the research findings at Purdue University, pets do have a positive effect on human health. Their studies there concluded that people with pets experienced a number of physical as well as emotional benefits, such a lower blood pressure, improved heart health, better surgical recovery and a diminished sense of loneliness. Fostering is the best of both worlds, and I hope more seniors will choose to try it out.

For those living in assisted care, why not advocate for a cat or dog at the facility. They can also volunteer at their local shelter to do all types of jobs, including being a cat sitter and providing love to these little guys who need it so much. This way, they can spend time with the animals without the full-time responsibility of pet ownership.

Another idea is to offer to house sit for people who need pet care, but they don’t want to put their pets in kennels. The elderly can be a Godmother or Godfather to these pets. They still retain their independence and freedom and yet the experience could be a lot of fun.