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Information for Care Professionals

Many studies have confirmed the enormous benefits of pet ownership to older people. These range from companionship and a sense of purpose to better health through increased activity and social interactions.

However, a newly published report, Pets and older people in residential care*, shows that many older people feel they have no choice but to give up their four-legged friends just when they need them most.

While many care homes have successfully incorporated pets into the services they offer, only 35% of residential care homes have formal written policies about pet ownership. And some of these do not allow pets or exclude cats and dogs, which are the most popular pets.

The Pets for Life projecthas been developed by the Society for Companion Animal Studies (SCAS), the Pet Food Manufacturers Association (PFMA) and The Blue Cross pet charity, to encourage more care home providers to develop pro-pet policies.

These pages have been put together for professionals working within the elderly health and social care sector to offer advice and information on the benefits of pets for older people, guidelines for housing providers, examples of good housing policies, and information to alleviate health and safety concerns.

Please click on the links to the left to find out more.

* Report carried out by SCAS, funded by the PFMA