Older pets finding purr-fect matches with other seniors

Senior pets have a great chance to be re-homed into a new family thanks to RSPCA’s Seniors for Seniors program which was proudly sponsored by a recent $10,000 Canterbury League Club donation.

Fiona and her gorgeous cat, Piaf, (pictured) were one of the first few pairings that occurred at RSPCA’s Sydney (Yagoona) Shelter when the program was launched just recently in July 2020.

Fiona said she “heard about the new program and decided it was finally a sign for her to adopt a new companion after her last cat’s passing. She jumped on the website and just so happened to see Piaf.” Piaf was surrendered to the shelter after her previous owner had passed away.

“For older citizens in Canterbury Bankstown, having a pet can mean keeping them connected to their community, and maintaining good physical and mental health. Countless studies have proven that pets have a positive impact – they help reduce stress, lower blood pressure – and increase social interaction,” said Domenica Nascimento, Manager of Philanthropy at RSPCA NSW.

The new program will be on hand to help educate adopters on responsible pet ownership and provide them with post-adoption support to reduce barriers to owning a pet in their older years. Resources include access to emergency foster and in-home care when the owner is ill or unable to care for the animal, seniors discount to vet fees, and follow up care.

“Pets are great companions and age shouldn’t be a barrier to welcoming one into the family. If you are thinking about getting a pet, I would highly encourage everyone to consider adopting one from RSPCA – it helps your local shelter and helps save a life,” said Paul Dunn, Chairman of Canterbury League Club.