SPRINGFIELD — When a patient in hospice care is lost, what happens to their pets?
Ruth Helle, a medical social worker, and Thea Peck, a hospice nurse, were faced with that very question when they were left with the dog of a patient who passed away. The two took care of the dog until Greenhill Humane Society was able to take it in, however they began to notice just how common the predicament was.
“We kept coming across situations where maybe somebody wasn’t able to care for their animal anymore, or somebody had passed away. And you know, Greenhill couldn’t necessarily take them in either,” Peck said. “I’d just end up taking the animal a lot of times and caring for it in my garage until I could either get it into Greenhill or find another home. And it was happening so much that we just decided we needed some help. We needed some volunteers.”
In 2017, Helle and Peck founded nonprofit Hospice Pet Advocates in order to help the animals that were left behind due to loss.
Since then, the organization has extended its reach beyond hospice patients and grown into Patient Pet Advocates (PPA). PPA offers pet-related services to people who are dealing with medical crises all over Lane county. This means finding short-term fosters for the animals until their owner is able to take care of them again, or finding new forever homes for the pets whose owners pass away.
Maureen Mosley has had to leave her dog with PPA and is very grateful for their care. Mosley found their number on the back of a flier and called them before going into hip surgery.
“If there’s nobody to watch my animal, I would rather stay here and die, I think, than leave my animal,” she said. “But knowing that they’re taken care of … mentally makes the whole experience of having to go do something awful, like going to the hospital, much easier.”
In 2023, PPA took in roughly 75 animals and placed 67 of them, according to Leah Claypool, the director’s assistant. Most of these animals came from the Springfield-Eugene area, but PPA will take in pets from all over the county.
Critters assisted by Patient Pet Advocate volunteers. PHOTOS PROVIDED
PPA works with both a retired veterinarian and a veterinarian who is still in practice. Volunteers also work with Greenhill on occasion, as well as Cat Rescue and Adoption Network (CRAN).
“We’re a community and we try our best to stay connected with other resources in our community,” Claypool said.
PPA is prepared to take in all kinds of pets, including cats and dogs, birds, rodents, and even reptiles, according to Cynthia Smith, executive director. When PPA takes in an animal, they begin with an exam with the retired vet. If he finds anything worrisome, the pet is sent to the practicing vet to be cleared.
Once all medical concerns have been tended to, the animal is found a foster family to stay with for two to three weeks. However, if the stay needs to be extended, members of PPA will make it work however they can, Smith said. PPA also provides foster families with everything they need, including food, kitty litter, and even medications.
In addition to taking care of animals, members of PPA visit retirement homes to help folks plan for animal care in the event that a medical emergency renders them unable.
These services are completely free to clients. “The people we deal with are up against a lot of barriers, so we don’t want to create another barrier for them. Our services are as flexible as we can make them,” Claypool said.
Because service is provided at no cost to the client, PPA relies entirely on donations and community fundraisers, like the 2024 Junction City Block Party.
PPA hosted their own annual yard sale fundraiser last month at the Springfield First Baptist Church. The sale included everything from bed frames to picture frames, and everything in between. The organization was able to sell “quite a bit,” and donated everything left over, Smith said.
NinjaCat Toy Factory also set up a table with more than 100 cat toys to sell, and co-pastors of the church were there to bless any furry friends that came to the event.
Pastor Jane Spriggs gives Obi a blessing. PHOTO PROVIDED
Also in attendance was a pomeranian named Idgy, who is up for adoption. There has been some interest since the event, but Idgy is still looking for a new home.
“They’re loving and kind and willing to come get them at your own home if necessary,” Mosley said. “I had nobody else to watch even my animals long term and it would have been awful not to have somebody that I could depend on.”
More info: patientpetadvocates.org
