Help for seniors: New initiative ensures the well-being of pets in Vienna!

Help for seniors: New initiative ensures the well-being of pets in Vienna!

In Vienna there is a breath of fresh air for our four-legged friends and their owners. Volkshilfe Wien has launched the pioneering project “A G’Spia fürs Tier”. This project is aimed primarily at supporting those animal owners who have found themselves in emergency situations. Due to financial, physical or psychological challenges, more and more people are faced with the question of how they can ensure the care of their beloved animals. This is where the project comes into play, which is aimed directly at the needs of low-income pet owners, as MeinBezirk reports.

A main focus is on supporting seniors who often struggle with illness or financial difficulties but still don't want to give up their animals. “Animals are an important social anchor,” emphasizes project manager Sabine Rauscher. The project aims to promote the quality of life and participation of these people and help maintain the human-animal relationship. Ideally, seniors can continue to have their beloved animals with them despite all the obstacles.

Concrete help for pet owners

The program intervenes directly in the action. An example shows the effective support: A senior citizen who has difficulty caring for her four cats due to limited mobility and financial resources received donations of food and toys. Volunteers take care of the animals so the lady can keep her cats. There is also a retired volunteer who became active after the loss of her own dog and now offers dog walking services and takes dogs on trips to help other seniors.

The team consists of around 70 dedicated volunteers who work throughout Vienna and offer support with questions or problems with animals. This competent group not only provides care and dog walking services, but also cooperates with external experts, for example in the areas of animal training or animal-assisted therapy. Inquiries are welcome at any time - an income limit of 1,400 euros is the framework within which support is offered. Further information can be found on the Volkshilfe Wien website, as Volkshilfe Wien also explains.

Together for animals and people

Supporting this project is a labor of love that requires volunteers and donors. The project's partner is the pet food manufacturer “Purina”, a subsidiary of Nestlé, which also contributes to the provision of resources. Together we should succeed in improving the quality of life for animal owners in Vienna and ensuring that people and animals can remain a team even in difficult times.

The “A G’Spia fürs Tier” project impressively shows how a strong network of volunteers and partners can help animal friends and their owners sustainably – a real win-win situation for everyone involved.