Here is an article I found lodged on my hard drive collecting dust since about 2008. It will contains some useful information for all you pet lovers out there. So here it is.
Here is a short video tribute to one my best friends “Donny Doo”
Why Baby Boomers Need Pets
When we reach retirement or have been sidelined with disabilities that are real possibilities as we inevitably age, a large number of us are alone. Our children are busy with their own children and jobs that have taken them to other locations. A significant number of our friends have either passed away or entered care facilities. Some don’t remember us at all.
When your house was bustling with the clatter of children and their activities, daily meals and laundry, the heartache of first loves and the pain of skinned knees, you might have thought that you were never going to have peace and quiet.
Well, now you’ve probably got way more peace and quiet than you wanted. Reality is not always pleasant. But there is a simple solution that can fill your life with so much love and purpose that your reality will change dramatically.
Pets have been proven to fill the emotional holes in the lives of many Baby Boomers suffering the loneliness of inevitable transitions, like illness, divorce or death of friends or family.
When you bring a pet into your life, you receive unconditional love and a reason for happiness. Your pet will be your faithful companion, gentlest critic and a quiet listener. There is medical evidence that pets can add years of warm, fuzzy happiness to your life, including a sense of well-being, purpose and reasons to get out of bed every morning.
Contact with animals has been shown to lower blood pressure. Other studies indicate that pet ownership can increase the survival rate for cardiac patients, decrease stress, improve circulation, reduce bone loss and lower cholesterol levels. All of that from petting and caring for a dog or cat? Wow!
As with anything, pet ownership has its requirements and dilemmas that should be considered before you start scouring pet stores for a pet. Before we get into a more detailed discussion of how pets help Baby Boomers and seniors, let’s check out some of the troubles you might have when your perfect pet finds you.
Finding a place to rent with your pet is a big hurdle to overcome with the number of apartment complexes that do not allow pets growing every day.
Let’s start there.
—
Finding Rentals With Pets
The animal shelters have been swamped with pets brought in because the owners are moving and the landlord won’t allow pets. Thousands of dogs and cats are being forced to leave the families they loved because of job transfers or economic disasters that force their families to move to other houses or apartments.
If you are facing this sad decision, there are some steps you can take to find reasonable rental housing that will allow your faithful companion to continue to live with you. Pets bond completely with their owners when they are loved and taken care of. They mourn terribly when they are separated by whatever necessity changes your living conditions.
When you are looking for “pet-friendly” housing, you might find it in rental complexes you thought had a “No Pets” policy if you follow the suggestions below. A good place to start is with a clear understanding of why landlords and housing managers reject pets.
A large number of renters will do almost anything to get around the pet restrictions in any housing situation. They will sneak them in and not notify the manager, trying to avoid paying a pet deposit. Some will walk their dog at night and not pick up their feces, ignoring the mess they leave behind. Many will leave badly stained and ruined carpets when they move out. Drapes could be ruined by pets and wood floors deeply scratched or in need of replacement.
Some, who let their dog bark incessantly have irritated the neighbors and ruined their quality of life, which generates constant complaints to the manager.
What you need to do when you’re looking for a home for you and your pet is provide proof to housing managers that you are a responsible pet owner. They have to believe that you are committed to providing loving care for your pet and would respect the rights of your neighbors for a peaceful and clean environment.
Before you tackle a rental manager with a “No Pets” policy, check out some other local resources that might be able to help you. Local animal control agencies, including the Humane Society, might know apartment complexes that allow pets. Ask real estate or rental agents if they have any leads for pet-friendly complexes.
Almost every supermarket has a stand inside their door full of apartment guidebooks. Start picking them up when you shop for groceries and look for complexes that list “Pets Welcome.” If they accept pets, you will most likelyfind restrictions like weight limits and certain breeds prohibited.
The Humane Society of the United States has an extensive list of state resources that you can find at: http://www.hsus.org. In their search function, enter “Finding Animal-Friendly Apartments” (no quotes) and scroll down until you find the appropriate article.
One way to overcome the attitudes of skeptical landlords is to prove that you are a responsible pet owner. You can do this in several ways.
A letter from your current landlord verifying that you are responsible and take very good care of your pet will go a long way to impress your future landlord. Provide proof that your dog has either completed a training class or is currently enrolled in one. An additional stimulus would be a letter from your veterinarian with information about your diligence in tending to your pet’s health, including documentation that your pet has been spayed or neutered.
Sample letters can be downloaded from the Humane Society of the United States: http://www.hsus.org. Another option is to visit www.Pets911.com to search their database of pet-friendly rentals.
Sometimes contacting the owner may be helpful to your quest or submitting a written request to a board of directors or an association if you are trying to rent in a condo community.
What you need to do is to promote both yourself and your pet when facing skeptical managers or owners. In a discussion you might mention that your pet is house trained and that you always clean up after your dog when you take walks. Don’t forget to work some PR into the conversation, like pet owners are more likely to be long-time residents because of the difficulty in finding pet-friendly accommodations. That would appeal to any landlord’s desire to reduce their vacancy rates.
Be willing and even offer to pay an extra security deposit to cover any possible damages that may happen. Be sure to get copies of any documents that list the deposits and fees concerning your pet and keep them in a safe place.
Once you have convinced the landlord or condo committee to let you have your pet, get it in writing. You might have to sign a pet addendum to your lease agreement. In any case, do not settle for verbal agreements and do not sign any lease with the “No Pets” clause still in it. Get it crossed out and initialed on your copy and the landlord’s copy too, before you sign.
Verbal agreements will have no legal standing if you sign a document forbidding pets.
—
Pets And Your Quality Of Life
The supportive role of animals in human lives has been a real factor since cavemen put on clothes. Animals have been used for centuries for hunting, herding, tracking and guarding the homestead or the owner sleeping under the stars.
A couple of centuries ago, doctors and caretakers began to notice the improvement in mental patients after interacting with dogs. Several hundred years later, a concept of Pet Facilitated Psychotherapy was coined by a child psychiatrist noticing that his patients only responded to him and made any positive strides after they played with his dog.
In today’s world, there are guide dogs for the blind, hearing dogs for the deaf and dogs for the disabled. There are training facilities all over creating special dogs to help disabled people, including seniors, with their restrictions.
There has been enough research published in the last 10 or 20 years to create a buzz in the medical profession when they noticed that owning a pet, or even simply petting a dog or cat, would lower blood pressure. Some dogs have been able to detect the onset of an epileptic seizure or, in diabetics, the early stages of hypoglycemia. It is well-known that people with pets, companion animals, survive heart surgery at a higher rate than those who do not.
What this means to Baby Boomers and older seniors is that adding a pet to your life will surround you with unconditional love, around-the-clock companionship and dramatically improve the quality of your life. Not only will you be less lonely and depressed, but you will have fewer health problems, get more exercise and have higher levels of self-esteem.
When we all reach a certain age, friends are no longer with us and families may be in other states or countries. Loneliness, depression and some fear might become an everyday part of your life. Companion animals can replace those negative drains on the quality of your life by providing love, support,
protection and something to take care of and share you life with. Both dogs and cats can provide this warm, fuzzy love on a 24/7 basis.
Additionally, being responsible for a pet’s life can give new meaning to your life, especially if you are living alone or not near family. Pets in your life can give you a sense of well-being, encouragement and a reason for living. The unconditional love they will show you will fill your spirit and warm any heart.
—
Caring For Your Pet When You Get Sick
There’s been too much research pointing directly at the value of companion animals when their owners get sick or disabled to ignore the benefit of living with a dog or cat. The love and concern your pet returns to you can not only decrease your stress levels, but will help increase your self esteem and self confidence at the same time.
When illness strikes an elderly person who lives alone, it finds a perfect site for the byproducts of illness, loneliness, pain and sorrow. Maladies can strike at any person, regardless of age, but the effect on lonely seniors can be disastrous when they feel unneeded and not valued. Your pets can ease the mental and emotional problems and make you feel real affection, caring and being needed. If you doubt that, just look in your pet’s eyes when you are hurting or sad.
Some pets can transmit diseases, particularly when your immune system is compromised with an illness or your strength is depleted by an injury. Lessen any chance of this happening to you by keeping your pet’s health foremost in your mind. Do not skip immunizations or other medications the veterinarian might have prescribed.
Dogs and cats kept as companion animals are not as likely to transmit a disease or virus as puppies and kittens or reptiles. Exotic animals, as beautiful as they may be in exhibits and zoos, are not suitable as pets and might come with a host of parasites you never thought of before. If you should decide to get a puppy or kitten, visit the vet or consult the counselor at the adoption shelter, if that’s where you rescued your new pet.
If your pet gets sick or injured, don’t wait for it to heal by itself. Medical care for your companion is just as important as medical care for you. Pets depend on your love and care to keep them healthy and safe and you can do that by keeping them groomed, well-fed and current on vaccinations.
Keeping Yourself Protected
Simple precautions can keep both you and your pet healthy. Wash your hands after handling or playing roughly with your pet. Wear rubber gloves when changing a litter box or cleaning up after a pet. Do not feed your pet table scraps; feed commercial pet food designed for them.
Keep your pet’s vaccinations up to date. Clean living and feeding areas will maintain a happy and healthy pet. Follow your vet’s advice to eliminate fleas and ticks. Above all, have a sick or lethargic pet checked by your vet immediately.
—
When You Need Help With Pet Care
When you are too sick or injured to take care of your pet, you will need to find help to feed, groom and exercise your pet. Relatives and friends, with family and job constraints, are not always able to help.
Some locales have nonprofit pet assistance organizations that might be able to help you. These organizations were created to help HIV-infected pet owners keep their pets healthy and not neglected. They can provide almost everything you would need until you are well enough to tend to your companion pet yourself, including dog walking, grooming and emergency shelter and care if you should need a hospital stay. They will also clean a cat’s litter box.
To find this service ask at animal shelters, veterinarian offices, veterinary schools, libraries and even health care clinics and physicians. A check at the local Senior Center might bring several results from pet owners who needed help in the past.
—
If You Need Help Affording Pet Health Care
All normal expenses for pet owners are escalating rapidly and you might, at some time, be faced with an unexpected vet bill you cannot afford. Gone are the days when a pet could be treated by a vet for small fees. Veterinary medical advances have advanced until Baby Boomers or seniors on a fixed income can face a major bill they cannot pay for medical services for their beloved companion.
A good idea would be to budget for an unexpected expense by putting some money aside on a regular basis so you are not caught without the money to help your pet when he needs it the most.
Another option is pet health insurance. The Humane Society of the United States has partnered with Petplan USA to offer a solution for pet owners that creates savings on vet bills. Petplan USA is affiliated with PetplanUK, the world’s largest and most trusted insurance company. This health plan for pets is trusted by pet owners and veterinarians everywhere.
Pet insurance is not a new trend. Pets have become important family members for decades all over the world and, as a result of that loving connection, pets in several European countries are often covered with insurance policies. For example, in the UK, more than 20% of pets are insured against illnesses and accidents. That number rises to over 50% in Sweden. In comparison, less than 10% of American pets are insured.
Pet insurance does not work the same as your medical insurance or Medicare. Most make you responsible for paying the veterinary bill in full and
then reimburse you, usually within 30 days. Like all insurance policies, there is usually a deductible, but with pet insurance that might be per incident rather than per office visit. Learning the new requirements and wading through the fine print of pet insurance might be a hassle, but, in the end, you can save maybe 75% of the medical bill.
In today’s financial climate, institutions are falling like raindrops and others, in order to survive, are changing their policies to stay alive. That probably includes pet insurance companies. Before you invest in any pet insurance policy, read the fine print carefully and compare the services of several companies before you spend your money. If you need help understanding the policy’s “Dos and Don’t s,” or actually reading the fine print, ask a relative or friend to help you. Some Senior Centers have a legal aide who might be able to sort out the legalese for you.
Another suggestion is to ask your veterinarian if you could work out a payment plan on a weekly or monthly basis. Some local shelters have information about veterinary clinics that are subsidized or other pet assistance programs. Local shelters can be located in the Yellow pages in your phone book or online.
Don’t forget to check out www.Pets911.com to find a list of animal shelters, animal care organizations and veterinary assistance programs after you enter your zip code.
National clubs for specific breeds of dogs sometimes offer veterinary assistance to their breed of interest. The American Kennel Club has a list online of the national dog clubs at www.akc.org.
The Humane Society of The United States has a list of breed-specific assistance groups and a list of organizations that provide assistance to senior, disabled or ill pet owners. Visit: http://www.hsus.org
Your veterinarian can submit a request to the American Animal Hospital Association’s (AAHA) “Helping Pets Fund.” Your animal hospital must be AAHA accredited in order for you to qualify. You can find information about this possibility on their website at www.AAHAnet.org. You can also search online at www.Pets911.com. If your bought your dog from a reputable breeder, check your contract to see if a health guarantee was included that covers your pet’s illness. Or find some veterinary schools in your area to see if they offer services to the public. Visit the website of the American Veterinary Medical Associations (AVMA) to find a list of veterinary schools. Look in the education section at www.avma.org. After exhausting all the resources available to you and you still do not have any help with your vet bill, call Care Credit, www.carecredit.com. They offer credit for your pet’s medical bills if you cannot pay them.
There might come a time when pet food will be too expensive for you. Contact your local humane societies and ask if they have a listing of food banks that offer pet food for the pets of the homeless and the disabled or disadvantaged. There is a website you can visit, if pet food is getting too expensive for your budget: www.petsofhomeless.com/members.htm. They have a state-by-state listing of food banks offering pet food.
—
Choosing The Right Dog For You
When you are looking for the perfect pet for you, it is important to look beyond the warm, fuzzy snuggles and wet kisses you are anticipating. To start with, your decision needs to be on size – Large or small?
Large dogs need daily exercise outside, including walks and active playtime. If you are unable to participate in this daily need, a large dog might be a poor choice. They also need a lot of food and that constant cost needs to be considered if you are on a tight budget. While large dogs are great pets and companions, they can accidentally knock you off your feet or feel like you just tripped over a mountain when they are sleeping in the doorway. If you are unsteady on your feet, you might want to consider a smaller breed.
Small dogs, on the other hand, like to sit in your lap and could be prone to sharing your bed. They will usually announce anyone at your door by barking and sometimes when the phone rings. Their food needs are much less than a larger dog, which is a budget consideration you might want to keep in mind. They are great companions and rapidly become the focus of your life, if you will let them.
Regardless of the size you love, you want a dog that matches your own temperament and ability to care for it adequately. A dog that is too active or hard to control, hyperactive, might be more than you can handle. Look for a temperament that is calm and tolerant, not jumping up and down, running in circles. If you to live in an apartment, you don’t want a dog that barks a lot or the neighbors will be complaining about being disturbed.
Certain breeds are well known for being calm, intelligent and trainable, like Golden Retrievers, Labradors or German Shepherds. Smaller terriers are also good choices. Mixed breeds are another popular choice of Baby Boomers. They are usually not as high-strung as some purebred choices and normally not as expensive.
—
Other Animals To Consider As Pets
Dogs are not the only choice for good companions. Cats are a great choice
for several reasons. They are loving and affectionate, easy to maintain and quiet. The daily chore with cats, if they are kept inside, is cleaning the litter box. In return, they will purr you to sleep at night and greet you every morning with enthusiasm. Most cats will groom themselves. They enjoy a sunny windowsill to nap in and to quietly watch the passing scene outside. Like all pets, they do need their vaccinations and good food.
Caged birds are a third option to consider if space and ability to feed, groom and exercise a pet is difficult. They don’t need a lot of space and are very social animals. Most are very quiet and their songs or soft chirps can really brighten a lonely apartment. A visit to any good pet store will give you plenty of colorful options, like parakeets, cockatiels or love birds, to name a few.
A small aquarium is another good option for low maintenance and quiet serenity. An aquarium of colorful tropical fish can be a soothing option when you just cannot handle the care of a dog or are allergic to cats. Some care facilities are adding aquariums to their social rooms because of the calming and beneficial effects they have on elderly patients. But, the tanks need to be kept clean and the water must be changed on a regular basis. If you cannot do this, you might hire a neighbor’s teenager who needs some money or get your grandchild to help you.
One last consideration for your decision is your grandchildren. If they visit often or spend weekends with you, do not choose dogs that don’t tolerate children well, like fussy, snappy dogs. Small children need to be taught how to play with pets so injuries don’t happen.
If you need caregivers in your apartment, be sure to select one that likes animals. A good practice is to interview your possible caregivers in your apartment and observe the interaction between your pet and the caregiver.
When all is said and done, when your eyes meet the pet who is looking for you, both of you will know it. You will have just met your companion for the next journey of your life.
— * —
Baby Boomers Dating & Marriage