Care for Senior's Pets - Provide Comfort, Prevent Neglect

You've had a dog or cat who knew when you were sad. They sensed when you were sick and stayed close, providing comfort and love. Sometimes our pets give us the love we need to keep our spirits up, and the support we need to feel less alone. We've all experienced it - there is nothing like the adoration of our animal friends.

Unity Hospice & Palliative Care's Pet Peace of Mind program is a chance for a patient facing their end of life journey to keep their best friend close until the end. Volunteers make this possible - providing pet care for the patient by:

• Cleaning a litterbox or animal cage
• Walking a dog
• Driving a pet to the vet or groomer
• Fostering an animal if a patient is hospitalized (ideally you're already a certified foster with another organization)
• Helping us find a forever home for the pet in the future, so our patient knows they will have love and care when they're gone

By offering just a few hours a week, this is a chance to make sure someone else has that love to get them through a hard day, and to be certain their pets are well cared for even when they can't provide the care they wish they could.

We LOVE volunteers who are already engaged in the animal welfare community - those with a network of fosters and an extensive knowledge of animals are our best advocates!

Volunteers with Unity will need to complete a fingerprinting background check (requires a SS#), a tb and drug test (for drugs not legal in IL) and an extensive orientation about working with hospice patients. You'll have support from our team, and a consulting veterinarian if there are questions about the pet's well being.

If it's hard to imagine life without your animal companions, make sure no one else has to imagine the hardest part of their life without theirs. Give that gift of comfort and love to someone else - it could make all the difference.

Watch our video to learn more: Pet Peace of Mind 2