23/08/2009 Pet scheme branches out

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The Elderly Animal Rehoming Scheme was set up seven years ago at the RSPCA’s Halifax and District Branch in Yorkshire. Its aim was to find new homes for the elderly and often poorly cats that arrived at their centre. The scheme has been very successful for them and during 2008 they managed to find new homes for 2 cats and 40 dogs with new owners willing to take them on even thought they often required regular health checks and medication.

Many more animal rescue centres have taken the scheme up and have been equally as successful in rehoming hard to place pets. The EARS scheme has meant that many more pets have found new homes due to their range of assurances to new owners. EARS offer discounted vet visits and food and can help with practical worries such as lack of transport and also runs a 24-hour phone service to call in case of emergencies.

The scheme welcomes new owners with an ID card which will entitle them to a number of benefits including annual booster vaccinations, routine worming tablets, flea treatments and health checks. The cost for joining the scheme is a small contribution of £5 per month. Help the Aged have endorsed the scheme for elderly would be pet owners who praise EARS for giving older people the chance to keep their pets when they would be financially unable to cope otherwise.

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