Wake SPCA gets grant for senior dogs

Posted September 17, 2009 at 4:00 pm and filed under Community, Pets.

Staff reports

The SPCA of Wake County has received a grant of $3,000 for their AniMeals and Pet Food Pantry programs from the Grey Muzzle Organization.

The grant from GMO, a national nonprofit group dedicated to helping at-risk senior dogs, will increase the capacity of these programs to help owners keep their senior dogs during the economic downturn.

Because of the recession, the Wake County SPCA has seen an increase in pets being surrendered because of financial situations.

“Senior pets are often the most vulnerable for relinquishment due to the increased cost involved as they age,” SPCA executive director Hope Hancock said. “Giving up a senior pet is even more tragic as they often have spent their entire life with a family. Sadly, senior pets can be more difficult to place in adoptive homes due to their age, anticipated financial commitment and fear that the adoptive family will have a brief time with their new pet.”

The Pet Food Pantry program provides food for pets of people facing financial difficulties and requires that the pets are already spayed/neutered in order to receive ongoing food assistance. A portion of funding from GMO will be dedicated to senior dogs in this program.

The grant will also be used for senior dogs in the SPCA’s AniMeals program, a partnership between the SPCA and Resources for Seniors. The AniMeals program helps senior pets of senior people that frequently end up in shelters because their primary caretakers are no longer physically or financially capable to take care of them.

The SPCA points out that the relationship between homebound seniors and their pets is often the primary relationship for both. This close bond can result in already vulnerable senior people depriving themselves of food, medication and other necessities just to provide care for their pets or depriving pets of basic needs.

Currently, 23 dogs are being helped through the AniMeals program, which makes monthly home deliveries of pet food. More than 1,300 dogs have been helped through the Pet Food Pantry program, with senior dogs accounting for over 230 of these. The SPCA receives donated pet food for the programs, but senior dogs often require special food. Those additional costs will be covered by grant.

“We are excited to support these wonderful programs at the SPCA that impact the lives of not only senior dogs but their owners as well,” GMO president Julie Nowicki said. “Multiple research studies have underscored the importance of pets for people’s emotional and physical well being. We certainly don’t want old dogs separated from their owners at a time when the owners are most in need of their support and vice versa.”

Since last September, GMO has doled out 19 grants for senior dog programs in 12 states. Three of the most recent grants, including the Wake County SPCA grant, fund community programs that provide food and medical services for older dogs whose owners have been affected by the economic downturn.

Founded in Raleigh in 1967, the Wake County SPCA is dedicated to creating a more humane community where every adoptable animal has a home. SPCA is a nonprofit animal welfare organization whose primary mission is to protect, shelter and promote adoption of homeless animals. For more information, visit spcawake.org or call 919-772-2326.

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1 Response for “Wake SPCA gets grant for senior dogs”

  1. Ann-Marie Fleming says:
    September 17, 2009 at 11:06 pm

    I was not aware that there was such a great program to help senior dogs – this is fantastic. I have seen first hand how older dogs can be the last ones adopted. I have also seen the challenges that senior dogs face become the reason they are in the rescue in the first place. It is heart breaking so I am so happy to know there are organizations like GMO out there making a difference.

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