SOMETHING MAGICAL HAPPENS
Something magical happens when people and animals bond.
Jane Boag, a trusted adviser for Cherish Pets Foundation and an occupational therapist with an expertise in risk management, asked us how many members currently had a pet. Half of us raised our hands. Then, she asked if we had an experience, in the past, with pets - once again half responded to the question. It is very clear that people and animals are emotionally and physically linked.
Cherish Pets Foundation deals with the problems which arise when pet ownership is a burden, or owners are unable to deal with the daily problems of pet ownership. We saw a photo of Elizabeth , with her dog, Percy. Elizabeth has MS. She also had a stroke. There is a special bond between Percy and Elizabeth, but she requires much assistance to continue to own Percy. She needs a dog walker. Percy, an aging dog, also needs his medication. A vet nurse checks Percy out. A dog trainer tests Percy to see how he behaves off the dog lead.
There are many other circumstances in which Cherish Pets Foundation intervenes. A woman went into palliative care. Her dog was rehomed only the day before she died.
The vet, who is the CEO, and driving force in Cherish Pets Foundation believes that a social worker should be attached to a veterinary service - in order to manage health and well-being.
The Home Care Assistance program supports for over forty clients. The Crisis Care program deals with pets who face the same danger as those people who experience domestic violence. Jane mentioned that there is a correlation between violence towards animals and violence towards people. This involves taking the animal into custody and then deal with respite conditions.
Some statistics include - 188 people referred and 972 nights of respite care since January 2025. The organization owns a cattery, thus leading for it being easier for cats to be handled, than dogs, which require movement to other facilities. The community veterinary nurse is a stand alone and stand out in this field.
This is a beautiful program expressing the very best about our world with animals. Jane's compelling and emotional arguments were not only engaging but revealed the very essence of the quality of our life with animals.