Meals on Wheels in Central PA expanded to help out Seniors with Pets

My mom told me about this one. I think this is a wonderful program because so many pets are being shipped back the shelther because seniors can take care of them anymore. Plus it's a chance to check and make sure these pets are being well-cared for by their owners too.

http://www.pennlive.com/midstate/index.ssf/2008/12/program_helps_senior_citizens.html

It's almost as if Salem, a sleek black cat who lives with Margaret Mazzarello in the B'nai B'rith Apartments in Harrisburg, knew why Theresa Fazzolari was visiting two days before Thanksgiving. Salem eagerly watched as Fazzolari pulled a pink cat toy from the grocery bag she brought. The bag also contained two big bags of Salem's favorite food, Friskies, and two packets of cat treats.
Mazzarello, 70, adopted Salem from the Humane Society of Harrisburg Area. "She is a wonderful companion," Mazzarello said. "She is so much company for me. I don't know what I'd do without her."

Two years ago Fazzolari started a local chapter of AniMeals, a program that supplies free pet food and supplies to homebound, low-income seniors.


"AniMeals serves a very special audience that may not have access to pet food anywhere else. So we really saw it as a need," humane society spokeswoman Kelly Hitz said. "A lot of Meals-on-Wheels recipients actually share their meals with their pets. AniMeals is geared to prevent that."

AniMeals has relied on donations from Purina, Wal-Mart and the Animal Rescue Food Bank in Wellsville as well as fundraisers, Fazzolari said. Now the Humane Society has opened its pet food bank to the program.

The humane society sometimes has to take in the pets of seniors who have had to surrender them.

"Anything we can do to help elderly people keep their pets is a good thing," Hitz said. "Studies have shown that pets are a positive thing in the life of senior citizens."

Many Seniors go without meds so that their furry companions can get food and medicine.

on edit: I just checked: there are a few places in NJ also doing this -- oddly enough, mainly the smaller towns and areas.

I know a few posters will complain about it, but I think other people would donate if their local MOW has a similar program.

Otherwise they tend to feed their animals out of their own food/food budget, which really isn't optimal for either party.