Forever together

Martin required urgent hospitalisation and was faced with surrendering his dog Poppy, an 11 year old terrier. Poppy had been with Martin since she was a pup. She was his constant, and sometimes only, companion. Poppy knew no other home than Martin’s, and as they spent almost every minute of each day together, she pined for him when he was not around.

Martin was a pensioner and could not afford to board Poppy in a commercial kennel for the duration of his expected stay in hospital. He had no family nearby and few friends. Due to poor health and a disability, Martin found himself socially isolated with little support.

It is often people in Martin’s situation, the vulnerable members of our community, who rely most heavily on their animals for companionship and support. These animals are often extremely devoted, able to spend all of their waking moments with their owner.

The benefits of pet ownership in general are widely known, but the benefits for socially isolated individuals cannot be underestimated. A pet can literally be their whole life.

At RSPCA ACT we do not believe that a treasured pet should be forced from their loving home simply because circumstances have changed temporarily for their owner. We offer emergency boarding for pets of people such as Martin. We feed, groom, exercise, cuddle and provide veterinary care for them while they are separated from their owner. We also take them to hospital for visits while the owner is recuperating. It is hard to describe the joy that our staff see in both the owner and their animal while they are briefly reunited. We care for their beloved pet so that they can be reunited permanently when they are able.

How do we fund this type of work? Events like Million Paws Walk see funds raised to help all sorts of animals, from those who are looking for a new home, to those who already have a loving home but are going through a rough patch.

Register to walk today and help us keep families together http://act.millionpawswalk.com.au/