Wellness Clinic for Seniors

Thanks to the financial support of the Animal Shelter League we are going to be offering a Wellness Clinic to low-income senior citizens of Rohnert Park and Cotati to provide some much needed veterinary care for their pets.  The clinic will be on Feb. 27 and appointments are filling up quickly!

What is a Wellness Clinic?  We bring veterinarians, veterinary technicians, and a cadre of volunteers so we can offer health examinations, vaccinations, deworming, flea control product, microchips, nail trims and more.  We’ll have our tag machine there so we can make personalized ID tags on the spot.  The best part is it’s all done for FREE.  This is a way to help seniors keep their pets healthy and safe so they can be together longer.  With many seniors living on a fixed income, there is nothing left over for seemingly optional items like vaccinations or flea products.  Many of these people can’t afford medical care for themselves, let alone their dog or cat.  But for many senior citizens their pets are their lifelines – giving them a reason to get up in the morning, forcing them to go for walks, connecting them to other people and providing companionship for those who live alone.

We know that during these health checks other concerns will be found – pets that desperately need a dental or ear flush, a lump or bump removed, a blood panel or urinalysis for further diagnosis.  For those animals the Animal Shelter League has the Silver Paws Program that can pay for extraordinary veterinary expenses for the pets of low-income seniors in Rohnert Park and the City of Cotati.  If you agree that this is a fabulous program and that we are lucky to have a local group offering this kind of support to our older generation (no other area around here has a similar program unfortunately) please consider a donation to keep it funded.  Go to www.animalshelterleaguerp.org and click on the donation button or stop by the shelter.  Checks can be mailed to ASL at the shelter’s address, 301 J. Rogers Lane, RP CA 94928.

If you know a senior with a pet that may need some veterinary care, please tell them about this program.  They should call the shelter at 584-1582 to schedule an appointment, and do it quickly as there are limited spaces available.  The shelter is open Wednesday 1-6:30; Thursday-Friday-Saturdays 1-5:30; and Sunday 1-4:30.  We’re excited about this program and the opportunity to reach a population that loves their animals as much as we do but can’t afford to give them what they need.  We can make an immediate difference towards improving the quality of life for these pets and that makes us very happy!