Pet Support

DELIVERING FOOD AND PROVIDING COMPANIONSHIP

The company of four-legged friends makes a big impact in our seniors’ lives. Pets provide a remedy to loneliness and isolation, which effect seniors more strongly than other populations. 

According to Meals on Wheels America, at least 95 percent of pet-owning Meals on Wheels clients feel that:

  • Having a pet around makes them healthier
  • A pet comforts them when they have bad feelings
  • Having a pet in their life makes them less lonely
  • They would feel lost without their pet
  • Their pet brings happiness to their life
  • Their pet loves them

Our Pet Support program aims to foster companionship through pet food delivery and therapeutic pets. 
 

 

PET FOOD DELIVERY

For seniors who receive home-delivered meals and also have a dog or cat, we deliver pet food each week as part of the same delivery. Pets receive a consistent type of food to support healthy digestion. Adult dogs receive Diamond Naturals chicken and rice dog food which is portioned in seven-pound bags Seniors receive deliveries based on the size of the dog. Cats receive Diamond Maintenance cat food.

To learn more about these programs, call us at 513-244-5485.

NOTE: This service is available to Meals on Wheels clients only.
 

THERAPEUTIC PETS

For seniors who live in a residence that does not allow pets and for seniors who are not able to care for a pet, we offer robotic four-legged friends to help them ease their loneliness. They make small movements and make noises to simulate caring for a live pet. These therapeutic pets provide a sense of calm and companionship as an alternative to owning an animal. Those who have the pets are very popular among neighbors who want to see and pet the animals. Such spontaneous visits help seniors combat feelings of loneliness while bonding over a love of animals.
 

 

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CREATURE COMFORTS

By helping care for Patricia Crenner's pets, we're also taking care of her.

Feeding all the creatures in Pat’s little corner of the world is not always easy on a fixed income. Luckily for Pat, Meals on Wheels provides cat food for Bootsy along with her weekly meal deliveries. Meals on Wheels’ pet support program takes some financial burden off Pat, who then pays it forward to the outdoor wildlife she loves. 
 
Recently, a young black and white tuxedo cat who Pat calls Mr. Kitty has been hanging around. She watches him run and jump in the grass before he takes breaks from his play to sit in Pat’s lap. “He definitely helps with the loneliness,” Pat said.

Read more.