Humane Society of Elmore County News
The holiday season approaching often reminds on us to check on others – elderly, those less fortunate, those facing challenging times. Of course, we should do this year-round but just in case there is no better time than the present. One thing we see too often in animal shelters are elderly owners who not only may be having difficulty in caring for their pet(s), but they may not realize their pet is having medical or other difficulties and may be in need of extra care.
Not only do us humans live longer, but our pets do as well. Just like us, our pets live longer as a result of better diets, exercise and medical care by their Veterinarian. But longer lives also lead to both people and pets with increased care requirements whether that be modified diets, more trips to the Vet for recurrent issues, or just more attention paid to the changes happening with an aging pet. Increasingly we see senior pets coming to us, and upon arrival they are in a very apparent state of neglect. We see terribly overgrown (and ingrown) nails, coats with missing hair from parasites or neglected medical issues, teeth severely in need of dental care and often extractions, ears that are infected and painful, and more.
Many times, these pets have had elderly owners who have their own issues, such as reduced vision or limited means and ability to get around, and simply are not realizing the issues their beloved pet is also having. They may not be able to trim their dog’s nails and, if they cannot drive, cannot get their pet to a Vet or Groomer. These owners may not comprehend that their pet is simply not eating as well as it used to because its teeth are painful. If a pet owner is also dealing with human dementia or Alzheimer’s, they may forget to feed their pet or also not realize that their pet has been missing for longer than a few hours while it is locked outside (or has escaped).
So we bring this up to ask that family, friends and neighbor’s please also keep an eye out for the pets of those who may no longer be seeing the reality of their pet’s needs and health. They may need help with a ride to a Vet or even need the help of a mobile Vet to come to their house. Or they simply may need the help of checking to make sure they have dog/cat food and that the pet is being fed regularly. Helping a pet suffering from fleas is also helping the owner who may be being bitten by fleas in the house as well. We are asking for everyone to look out for each other AND try to also look out for each other’s pets when there is a need for a bit more oversight. If you love animals this is not only helping the animal, but helping their human as well, and we can all use a lot more of helping each other these days.
