The Gift of Dignity: Helping Patients Provide Veterinary Care for Pets

Some of my fondest memories as a veterinarian are of  families coming into the clinic with a new puppy or kitten for their first vaccinations. Parents often brought their kids along with the new pet, and they were all taught about the importance of responsible pet ownership. These families left our office with a sense of having done something positive, not just for their pets, but for themselves.
My guess is that most people in our country are aware of what veterinarians do to prevent illness in pets by giving them annual vaccinations and checkups. That said, it's easy to take for granted what we do for our pets and ourselves when we bring them in for something as simple as an annual checkup. We can forget that not everyone has the means or the life circumstances for routine human healthcare, much less routine veterinary care for their pets.
Our story comes from one of the first hospices in our Pet Peace of Mind hospice network, Hospice of Rutherford County in North Carolina. Executive Director, Rita Burch, shares this story with us:

"[We] are currently serving a 67 year old widowed male patient who has terminal emphysema. He has very little income and sometimes does without his medications because he cannot afford them. The patient considers his 'family' to be his 3 dogs. These dogs have been the patient's companions for many years. Prior to the Pet Peace of Mind program, he was only able to feed his dogs through the financial help of his caregiver and his neighbors. Historically, these pets never had any routine veterinary care because of the expense involved. One smalll dog has lived with a large hernia for some time, another is missing most of his teeth. The patient was unable to afford treatment for his 'family' and he told us this was a burden on his mind daily. He had no potential home for his dogs and had become resigned to the fact that the dogs would probably be taken to the pound and destroyed after his death.
Because of the Pet Peace of Mind program, our hospice has been able to provide dog food for the patient's pets, free of charge. The dogs are also recieving the veterinary care they have so desperately needed. Even though he had no home for them prior to the PPOM program, the patient has become insistent that his pets be cared for in his absence. Our hospice is working with current volunteers, as well as the Community Pet Center to get the dogs into foster care. The Pet Peace of Mind program has removed the burden from this man so he can enjoy life to the fullest during his final weeks."

Can you imagine knowing that your pets would be euthanized and having to live with that fact at the end of your life? This story isn't just about providing free pet care to someone who can't afford it---the program gave this patient hope--hope that his pets could live on after his death. He became empowered by Pet Peace of Mind, by the gift of becoming a responsible pet owner, so much so that he was able to become a voice for his 'family' and insist that they be cared for in his absence. Kudos to Hospice of Rutherford County for recognizing this and acting on his (and their) behalf.