The purpose of Pets on Wheels is to enhance the lives of the elderly and/or infirm, now relegated to routine and often uncomfortable lives in special care centers, such as nursing homes and hospitals. There are 1,800 to 2,200 residents in the nursing homes, including about 100 hospice patients. Other purposes are to assist in the rehabilitation of special injury or post surgical patients and to help build self esteem in young students in special classes, as well as to divert the attention of cancer patients from their worries. Additional purposes are to expand the understanding of the human-animal bond among up to 2,000 second-grade children each year in Scottsdale's elementary schools as well as spread the word about the human-animal bond around the world.

The objectives are to conduct regular (and meaningful) weekly visits with pets, to as many residents, patients, or students as may benefit from such visits. Such contacts with animals provide both physiological and psychological benefits -- conjuring up memories and creating a relaxing and therapeutic effect. A further objective is to teach second-grade children respect for animals and how to avoid injury from them, and to assist others through the Internet. Kathy Sins' Mr. Peabody and Pal shown below, modeling logo bandanas.

The program, with 120 to 130 volunteer-pet teams, as well as about 15 other volunteers, 40 applicants, and 44 veterinarians (providing free pet health examinations) is carried out with the cooperation of the City of Scottsdale -- providing an office. Major sponsors in recent years have been the PacifiCare, Scratch & Sniff, Lund, and Fred W. Stang Foundations, as well as Boeing Mesa's Employee Community Fund, American Express's Employee Giving Contribution, and the public at large. Scratch & Sniff Awards, a Phoenix area benefit program, was a major sponsor of Pets on Wheels for 5 years, but was dissolved in late 2005. The above grants fund the basic costs of a part-time volunteer coordinator. Additional funding is also needed each year, to cover the normal operating costs of the program. All visitation-therapy pets (mostly dogs) are certified healthy by a veterinarian annually. Dogs and cats must be spayed or neutered. Volunteers undergo an initial interview, then the volunteer-pet teams are briefed and evaluated, first in monthly groups, then by trained evaluators at the assigned care centers. A background check is made of each applicant. Follow-up training is done through quarterly newsletters and meetings. Recommendations are made for additional obedience training as needed (see Dog Obedience Classes, at bottom of menu). Speakers or films at volunteer meetings are geared to (1) dealing with the elderly, (2) pet health and care, and (3) pet training. Volunteer guidelines help insure the welfare of both residents of the care centers and the animals. Special safety collar-leads are used and liability insurance is maintained. Some volunteers participate in national conferences on the human-animal bond: and speakers are provided for functions, as well as guest lecturing at Arizona State University and other educational institutions.

 

Organizational material is provided, on request, to other communities. A 254-page book was developed by Neal Jennings in 1998, A Pet-Visitation Therapy Program -- Starting One and Keeping it Going. The workbook, revised twice, contains all of the forms and information developed during a period of 19 years, in two volumes. (click on the menu item Starting Your Own Program)

Pets on Wheels of Scottsdale, founded in July 1990, has completed over 19 years of service. A level of 140 volunteer-pet teams is optimum, but constant maintenance is necessary. In addition to the volunteer-pet teams, and the 15 volunteers without pets, there are 44 cooperating veterinarians at 21 clinics. The Board of Directors is made up of volunteers active in the program. They are each responsible for one or more administrative functions.

A thorough program of volunteer recognition and reward is carried out to recognize community service and minimize attrition. In addition to the many framed certificates, plaques, and special awards earned, a number of the "volunteer service awards" from President Bush have been received. (Helen Caldwell and Elsie are shown here receiving an award from Neal) In 1998 a salaried Volunteer Coordinator position was established to replace many of the 1,000 hours donated each year by the founder, and to help insure the perpetuity of the program. In 19 years, over 500,000 individual contacts have been made with elderly and/or infirm residents of Scottsdale. This means that 500,000 times, a volunteer has approached a care center resident or patient and said, "Hi! Would you like to meet my dog?" [or other pet] An average of 17 such contacts are made, lasting from 2 minutes to 2 hours, during each volunteer-pet team visit. Except for a few residents or patients who are afraid of, or who are not allowed to have contact with, the animals, the residents are delighted with the visits. Frequent reactions are: "Thank you so much for bringing your dog," "Please come again soon," or "Let me tell you about the dogs I used to have." Some who have not spoken, speak; one came out of her room for the first time; another was helped out of a coma with dog kisses and a "woof" in the ear. The school children's pet safety project, begun in 1997, is resulting in several hundred additional contacts each month. During each school year, volunteer-pet teams present pet safety talks to 86 second-grade classes. The purpose is to teach respect for animals and ways to avoid bites and scratches from dogs and cats. Lives may be saved in the future. More information may be found at Anclillary Projects on the menu. Also, in 2004, visits were initiated to the developmentally challenged youth in the Life Skills classes at Chaparral High School. Then in 2008, visits were started at Life Skills classes at Coronado High School and Courtney's Foundation, similar to Life Skills but for youths over 21. _____________________________________

• We may be reached at petsonwheels@aol.com
• Our voice mail is (602)735-6886
• The fax number is 480-488-1583
• Address: 1700 N. Granite Reef Rd., Scottsdale, AZ 85257-2857
• Office number is 480-312-1741 Monday through Thursday 1:30 - 5:00 p.m.