April is National Pet month and we want to take a moment to talk about the support given. For those who have furry, smooth, big or small animals in your lives, you know how much they can affect your wellbeing. In our Animals are family too forum, we see how much animals mean to you and how they have provided support in different ways.
“While I was having my radiotherapy and chemotherapy in March/April 2019, Chynna would always come on my knee every day while I was waiting for the hospital transport to collect me. It was almost as if she knew what I was going through.” - blackstuff
“About 6 weeks before I was diagnosed with cervical cancer my dog would not leave my side, he's normally quite clingy but I noticed he was exceptionally clingy just would not leave me, I am about to start radiotherapy straight after Xmas, just into 4 weeks now after having a radial hysterectomy with removal of lymphnodes from the pelvis, my dog has given me something to aim for, I really miss not being able to walk him, he is my life, he is my company when everyone else is at work, I couldn't be without him” – Df22
“We have 2 chihuahuas and they bring us so much joy, love ,company and only ask that they are loved back. For someone thinking about getting a pet for recuperation purpose I fully agree , if you live alone they give you the company, someone to talk to and no I'm not daft , they really do listen and understand. Without our two chihuahuas I think life would be so empty and dull especially right now with all the situation that we are going through.” - CaptainC
“...they certainly seem to know when you're not feeling well and they're great for not judging you!” - Latchbrook
"Roxie our German Shepard mix, is a furry furious sweetie. She helped me through the majority of the rough patches that’s for sure. Dogs can be so intuitive sometimes it’s almost scary. I for one don’t feel we deserve them half the time” -Lifer
There are many worries when your diagnosed and when you’re due to have treatment. You might find that caring for your animals is one of them. If your needing some help with looking after your beloved pets, it’s a good idea to try and get some support in place, so you can have peace of mind that they will be ok when you’re not with them.
What help is available to help care for my pets?
It might be a good idea to think about who could look after your pets for you at short notice and have their contact details to hand. This could be a neighbour or a nearby family member or friend. If you don’t have family and friends close by to help, there are some wonderful organisations out there that can support people with pet care.
The Cinnamon Trust or Petpals may be able to find someone to look after your pet, including feeding them, keeping them clean and providing companionship. DogBuddy and Borrow My Doggy offer similar services but just for dogs.
The following places should be able to help you:
Your local social worker can help if there is no one else to take care of them although you may be charged for this service. Most cancer centres will have a social worker you can speak to. If not, your GP should be able to refer you to one.
It might not be possible to make care arrangements for your pets in advance, so the following information may be helpful to you if you have not thought about this before. There is more detailed information on the Macmillan website here.
Why not join the Animals are family too forum and start a discussion to show off your beloved pet. We would love to meet them and hear how they have provided you support.
