PAPA and ACT Pet Crisis Support celebrate milestones supporting older pet owners

Pets and Positive Ageing (PAPA) Inc and ACT Pet Crisis Support marked their significant milestones recently at a special celebratory event in Canberra, reflecting on their achievements, building awareness and planning for a successful and sustainable future supporting older people and their pets.

As a voluntary organisation that supports older pet owners, PAPA celebrated its 10th anniversary alongside ACT Pet Crisis Support, a charity that has been supporting pets of people in ACT who are disadvantaged or have low income for the past five years.

Companion Animal Network Australia CEO Trish Ennis congratulated PAPA and ACT Pet Crisis Support for their many years of dedication and support for older people and their beloved companion animals.

“The anniversaries of both organisations mark significant milestones and symbolise the profound impact they've had on the lives of numerous older adults and their beloved pets,” she said.

The special event was hosted by PAPA’s first President Jan Phillips (also Chair of the Steering Group that preceded PAPA) and welcomed key local supporters along with PAPA’s former patron Minister Tara Cheyne MLA and long-standing current patron Mary Porter AM. PAPA’s newest patron Minister Chris Steel MLA was also announced.

Also ACT Pet Crisis Support showcased their Tiny Vet Clinic initiative, which started running in March 2023 bringing veterinary services to pet owners who may have trouble accessing veterinary care due to lack of funds.

ACT Pet Crisis Support’s founder Dr Eloise Bright said there are many older people who are lonely and are putting off having a pet or can’t afford to care for the pet they have.

Also as Vice President of PAPA, Dr Bright is proud for PAPA to be working on initiatives to support older people, for instance when they go into hospital and need emergency boarding or foster care of their pets.

"I strongly believe that pets are so good for our mental health and for older pet owners in particular, pets are often so important if they are living alone and socially isolated,” she said.

A decade of support and advocacy for older pet owners

PAPA’S journey began in 2012 with the formation of the Pets and Aged Care Steering Group and became incorporated in 2014 to become Pets and Positive Ageing Inc.

“These ten years have been an extraordinary and inspirational journey,” said Di Johnstone AM, President of PAPA. “We have tackled many issues, advocating to governments and others on behalf of older pet owners, with pet welfare always central to all we do.”

A decade ago, most retirement villages were not pet friendly and companion animals were being surrendered and euthanised because older adults couldn’t take their pets into aged care facilities with them.

“It was terrible for the pets and traumatic for owners,” said Ms Johnstone. “Today, large numbers of ACT aged care facilities are pet-friendly and pet owners tell us how grateful they are to be able to continue living with their beloved pets.”

PAPA supports older people with resources to help make important decisions about their pets, such as wills, along with a list of specialised services for older pet owners.

“We are also working with organisations to achieve pet care assistance in the Federal Government’s new Support at Home Program. Thousands of older and vulnerable Australians in aged care and their pets would benefit!” she said.

“PAPA had been proud to partner and collaborate with Companion Animal Network Australia in our joint efforts to gain wider recognition of the critical importance of pet companionship in the lives of older pet owners and specifically to achieve pet care assistance in the new Federal Support at Home Program.

“We have been especially grateful and impressed by the highly dedicated and untiring commitment of CANA CEO Trish Ennis to get the best possible outcome in national aged care arrangements and current consultations for older pet owners and their beloved pets.”

PAPA to help revive PAWS program

Looking forward to a future committed to supporting older pet owners and their beloved pets, PAPA’s priorities lie in campaigns for pets on public transport, access for pets to public and commercial places, supporting older pet owners at times of crisis and encouraging older pet owners to plan for their companion animals when they are no longer around or not able to care for them.

“We will also work with others to revive a volunteer-based Pet Support and Wellbeing Service or PAWS, critical for supporting low-income older pet owners needing help to care for their pets,” said Ms Johnstone.

PAWS volunteers walked dogs, groomed cats and took animals to vet appointments, as well as fostered animals if the client went into hospital or respite and found homes for the animals if the client could no longer look after their pet.

Similar services successfully operate elsewhere, such as Animal Care for Seniors at Home (ACSAH) Inc in Cairns.

“A local program had been in place with Northside Community Service for some years but unfortunately is now in hiatus. We will be exploring funding options for their program and reaching out to other local community organisations to consider a similar PAWS program,” she said.

For more information about PAPA and the PAWS program, please email info@petsandpositiveageing.com