Pets can bring great joy, companionship and comfort – but what happens when their owners fall ill or are injured and can no longer take care of them?
Animal-lover Gillian Burch is trying to recruit volunteers in the Spalding area for a charity which provides a vital lifeline.
Tracey Sweetland met Gillian to find out more about The Cinnamon Trust and her hope to bring its important work to the area.
Loneliness is often cited these days as one of the biggest problems facing older people.
For those who live alone and have few friends and family living nearby, often a pet provides the love and companionship they need.
But older age can also mean illness and injury – leaving older pet owners with the added worry of who will look after their pet if they can’t.
That’s where the Cinnamon Trust comes in – providing a network of volunteers who can help by going into people’s own homes to help with their pets, or fostering animals while their owners recover.
It started life in the south, but Gillian Burch is hoping to bring its work to South Holland by encouraging people with a love of animals and willingness to help to step forward as volunteers.
Speaking from the home in Spring Gardens she shares with husband Nigel and their two dogs, Gillian said: “This is something I am quite passionate about as it’s a small charity but it fills a niche that no one else is concentrating on.
“My little brother used to volunteer, as he worked from home and could be flexible, and when he passed away it stuck in my mind.
“I started thinking that as you get older it would be nice to know there would be someone on hand to help out with your pets if you were unable to do so for whatever reason.
“Now I have some more free time I decided to get involved, but it would be nice to get more volunteers in this area to help out.”
As well as going into people’s homes to help out with day to day pet care, volunteers for the Cinnamon Trust can also provide transport and support for visits to vets.
And users of the Cinnamon Trust’s services can also arrange for the charity to take in their animal should they die or have to move into residential care where pets are not welcome.
It will then try to rehome the pet – with new owners having the added benefit of the trust paying vets bills for all elderly animals taken on.
Gillian said: “That’s particularly good for elderly people who may have just lost a pet and miss their company but don’t want to take on a puppy or kitten.
“The whole thing just seems much more personal to me than the bigger organisations – it’s looking after both side of the pet and owner equation, the animals and the people.
“Having this charity in your corner can really help to take the stress out of a distressing situation if you become incapacitated.
“And I really think it could benefit a lot of people in the Spalding area.
“There are lots of older people here who either don’t have family, or they live hundreds of miles away, to call upon to help.
“I really hope we can get some more volunteers, such as retired people, who have a bit of time to help.
“You really can give as much or as little time as you like and it can make such a lot of difference.”
Gillian says she is happy to have an informal chat with anyone considering volunteering for the Cinnamon Trust to talk through what it involves, although all applications need to go to the charity’s head office.
Volunteers will need to be vetted as they will be going into people’s homes, and will be required to carry photo ID.
Helping overcome pet problems
The Cinnamon Trust, founded in 1985, works in partnership with pet owners to overcome any difficulties that might arise.
A national network of more than 15,000 community volunteers has been established to provide practical help when any aspect of day to day care poses a problem – for example, walking the dog for a housebound owner.
A national fostering service is provided for pets whose owners face a spell in hospital – volunteers take pets into their own homes and supply love and care until owner and pet can be reunited.
The Cinnamon Trust also provides long term care for pets whose owners have died or moved to residential accommodation.
Arrangements are made between owners and the Trust well in advance, so owners have peace of mind in the knowledge that their beloved companion will have a safe and happy future.
Emergency cards are available on request.
When a pet is in the Trust’s care either short term or long term because the owner is in care, the owner is kept in touch with visits, if possible, or regular photos and letters.
To find out more go to www.cinnamon.org.uk or call 01736 757900.
