The purpose of the ARL’s Golden Paw Hospice program is to provide in-home care for an ARL dog or cat that has been diagnosed with a terminal illness but is free from suffering and continues to enjoy quality of life. These animals are deserving of a home where they can live out their “golden” weeks, months or year with love and dignity. Quality of life is the most important part, and together we can give these animals a happy, safe and loving end of life. Fostering a hospice care dog or cat is an incredibly rewarding experience for the foster home and gives the foster animals the gift of a loving family in their “golden” days, months or year.
How Golden Paw Hospice Program Works
The ARL will:
- Provide all medical care and costs as needed and approved by the ARL’s veterinary staff.
- Provide one-on-one training and detailed information about the hospice pet’s care, personality, medical needs and any restrictions.
- Along with the foster home will make decisions together when the quality of life has diminished for the foster animal and euthanasia may be needed.
- Encourage and support the foster home to be with their foster dog/cat when the foster animal makes their transition.
Foster homes will:
- Care for and love the foster animal, and provide safety, comfort, compassion, dignity and respect.
- Provide supplies needed for foster animal: bed, toys, food, treats, enrichment and grooming as needed for the foster animal. The ARL can provide assistance for these items if needed.
- Communicate regularly with the Golden Paw coordinator to share updates or any concerns or questions in regard to the foster animal’s health or behavior.
- Coordinate any medical appointments and provide transport for the foster animal with the Golden Paw coordinator.
- Make the decision with the ARL veterinary/medical staff on when euthanasia is appropriate to end suffering.
- Complete our foster application process and sign our foster home agreement.
Sponsor a Golden Paw Hospice Pet
If you are unable to foster but would like to sponsor a Golden Paw Hospice pet or the program here are some ways you can help:
- Sponsor a hospice foster by helping with medical costs and supplies needed. Just click here and put "Golden Paw Hospice" in the gift reference. You can also include the name of the pet if you have a specific pet you'd like to sponsor.
- Donate specific items needed for the hospice foster dogs/cats such as special food, medications (ordered by an ARL vet), supplements, beds and toys. If you would like to donate items, please email Lora at lrogers@arl-iowa.org to determine what is most needed.