Support for older dogs
Ben Low-On
The Lumby Food Bank and Fletcher’s Keep Senior Dog Foundation have launched the Paw Nourish and Nurture Wellness Alliance Program.
It’s aimed at helping older dogs stay with their owners.
“There is a need for help for people who have senior dogs,” said president Anita Dunford.
“They are often overlooked and come with a higher price tag, just like we do when we get older.”
The BC SPCA saw 4,879 animal transfers in 2023, compared to 4,029 in 2022. Dunford said the Covid-19 pandemic has a big part to play in this issue. Many people adopted animals during the pandemic and those pets are now starting to hit old age.
“Senior dogs become overlooked because they are older. People feel in lots of cases that their days are numbered when in many cases they are not,” Dunford said.
Recent inflation rises also strain people's abilities to take care of their older pets.
“A lot of people are even forgoing their own health and well-being (particularly older people), because they still want to be able to take care and keep with their companion.”
Fletcher’s Keep offers access to medical-grade for dogs and subsidies to help with veterinary costs and treatments.
The foundation was in Lumby on Sunday to inform the community about the program and available supports.
