Some Calgary seniors received a nice boost during the COVID-19 pandemic Thursday as they got some much-needed help for some very important companions.
About 50 seniors were able to bring in their dogs and cats to the Silverado Veterinary Hospital, which had offered them its services free of charge for the day.
“On a fixed income as a senior, on my own I wouldn’t be able to come to the vet,” James Alvin said.
Alvin brought his cat Catalina in for a checkup.
“It means a lot to me to be able to do this.”
The event was organized by a Calgary animal support group that’s run free vet clinics before, offering something new Thursday.
“This is the first one for just seniors,” Parachutes for Pets founder Melissa David said.
“We have had so many calls from seniors during the pandemic. They are really struggling to pay for vet care, prescription pet food, regular pet food, so we decided to get their companions taken care of.”
The woman who runs the Silverado Veterinary Hospital says she’s glad to have the opportunity to support seniors during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Pets are an integral part of this pandemic, providing emotional support, specifically with the seniors who are low income,” Dr. Khushdeep Marahar said. “My team and I jumped into it because just giving back to the community is a big thing, helping the seniors.”
Parachutes for Pets hopes to offer another clinic for seniors before the end of 2021.
“We expect to have another one of these in a couple of months because the demand is so high,” David said.
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