P.A.L.S. (Pets Assisting the Lives of Seniors)
P.A.L.S. (Pets Assisting the Lives of Seniors)
P.A.L.S. provides assistance with food and basic preventative veterinary care for the pets of our homebound clients.
A pet can provide much needed companionship and helps reduce the isolation and loneliness that many of our clients experience. As one client wrote to us, “God Bless you for thinking about our little pets. I love and adore my kitty more than anything or anyone on Earth. I couldn’t live a day without him.”
Want to get involved?
1. Pet Transport for Veterinary Visits:
P.A.L.S. matches clients with volunteers to transport their pet(s) to veterinary appointments for spay/neuter surgery and annual vaccinations. Volunteers must be able to:
Use their own vehicle to pick up cats and/or dogs, drive them to the clinic, and take them home when done. Animals are expected to be transported in crates or carriers. Volunteers are called upon as needed with advance notice of appointments, and can usually arrange visits around their schedules. Made possible by TVMF partnership and support by Emancipet.
2. Monthly Pet Food Delivery:
Volunteers are also needed to deliver pet food to clients monthly. Volunteers pick-up pet food on the 2nd Saturday of each month from our East 5th Street location and then deliver to the homes of clients in need. New volunteers start as substitute drivers and are able to take on a regular route in the area of town they choose as routes become available. Volunteers must be able to:
Use their own vehicle to deliver and must be able to follow driving directions via a provided map and be willing to deliver to multiple clients in a selected area of town within Austin.
Please contact the P.A.L.S. Coordinator to see what opportunities are available on either an ongoing or substitute basis.
3. Donations of Pet Food:
P.A.L.S. is also able to easily utilize donations of cat litter, as well as dry cat and dog food, especially Purina Cat Chow and Purina Dog Chow. Donations may be dropped off at our east Austin office on the corner of Allen St. and East 5th St. during office hours (Monday through Thursday, 8am to 5pm, and Friday, 8am to 3:30pm).
If you have any questions or want to volunteer, please contact the P.A.L.S. Coordinator at pals@mealsonwheelsandmore.org or 512-476-6325.
