Dogs provide great companionship to our senior community. While pets are great for mental health, unfortunately, not all seniors can afford to keep a pet. The cost of pet food and medical bills for an animal is often not within the budget of a retiree.
At a Dallas, Texas senior service center, staff members noticed that many of their fixed-income clients were forgoing proper nutrition and health care in favor of caring for their pets. A woman named Adelle Taylor heard what was happening at the facility and came up with a solution.
Taylor’s idea materialized into the Senior’s Pet Assistance Network (SPAN), which runs similar to a Meals on Wheels program. Instead of catering to people, the company is a food service for pets. The company was formed ten years ago by the late Adelle Taylor and is now run by Taylor’s daughter, Laurie.
Laurie Jennings said many senior citizens live on very limited funds, but they love their cats and dogs and often struggle to support them. Laurie’s nonprofit helps care for these special pets. SPAN helps people who are aged 67 and up, who have incomes of less than $1,200 per month.
The nonprofit organization is comprised of 30 volunteers, who deliver pet food, litter, and other essential supplies for seniors’ pets. The company will also drive the animals to veterinary appointments and pay the bill! They also work with other companies to help these pets find new homes when their owner passes away.
In 2018, SPAN delivered over 3,000 cans of wet food, 600 bags of dry food, and over 60 bags of litter. The company assisted with vet visits for more than 60 pets. The company loves providing an invaluable service and seeing the joy it gives its clients.
SPAN relies on private donations to keep its services running. Their story has gone viral to spread the word about this awesome organization.
Credits: Seniors Pet Assistance Network (SPAN) Facebook
