top of page
WHY
We have learned so much about hospice and palliative care. Basic things like countless trips to the vets, urgent care, 24-hour pharmacies, different locations for a variety of dietary needs and whatever else it takes to give our rescues the best possible care. Then there are the “things” that are not so
basic. These are the physical, mental, and emotional aspects that come along with this type of care. It's the expressing (helping a dog use the bathroom), the waking up 3 times a night because they have little bladder control, changing diapers and pee bands, applying bum cream due to fecal incontinence, and having to move a dog bed with you everywhere because the fur baby in it has dementia and your foot has to be there or they start barking and shaking.
It’s administering a variety of medications different ways 4 times a day and the seizure harnesses with bells. It's the wheelchairs, strollers, bibs and of course hand feedings. All those extras make it 10 times harder and more exhausting but also 10 times more rewarding. To try and explain the feeling is hard. There is a powerful bond you get when you rescue an animal, but when you adopt an animal and you know that you were most likely their last hope, or last chance for them not to pass in a shelter or rescue it's an incredible feeling. This is where it is not about how hard or sad you are or the loss your feeling, it is knowing that when you are saying goodbye to them they know they were loved and very special.
We started Boon Animal Sanctuary so we can continue to support the rescues at our sanctuary and enable us to expand the program to ensure that all hospice and palliative care animals that come to us can receive the support they need.
Shelters do an amazing job with the animals in their care. Their success is the high turnover rate they have with getting residents into a loving forever home. There are some animals that come into their care that have a difficult time catching the eye of potential adopters, this can lead them to become long term residents. Their medical issues may even become worse during their time in the shelter or rescue. This can lead to them not being capable of finding a home and living out the last of their life in a shelter. Some of these medical issues are why they were surrendered or relinquished to begin with. These conditions can be paralysis, terminal cancer, kidney disease, heart disease, bronchitis, collapsed trachea, vestibular disease, and other chronic and palliative conditions. It is so hard to see when any animal is not in their forever home but they can get there!
Some have an easier time than others finding their way, and then there are those that find it so very difficult, even impossible. If you add terms like palliative care into their file those chances become even slimmer and if hospice care becomes needed those chances can become almost nonexistent. Those lost fur babies are the ones that we want to and love to welcome into our home. Our goal is to make sure they know they are wanted, loved and part of a family when they make their way to the rainbow
bridge no matter how long we were lucky enough to have them.
bottom of page