Without The Cinnamon Trust , 'I would be unable to own a dog and life would be very different'

The Cinnamon Trust helps thousands of elderly and terminally ill people to care for their pets. Without this vital support, many would be forced to give up their pet, that is often their best friend.

A network of 16,000 volunteers help owners to provide vital care for their pets. These volunteers will walk a dog every day for a housebound owner, foster pets when owners need hospital care, fetch the cat food, and even clean out the bird cage.

When a pet’s owner dies, the Cinnamon Trust will find a volunteer to adopt the pet.

Averil Jarvis, founder and chief executive of the charity , was driven to set up the service, as she “was seeing a lot of older people who were full of worry about what would happen to their pets when they got frail, ill or became housebound, knowing that often their pets, who were dearly loved, would be put down”.

Ms Jarvis believes that having an animal to look after can significantly improve the quality of life of elderly people living in their own homes and so took action to prevent the problems facing older people when they need more support to care for their pet.

“I researched into the problem and talked to many older people to discover what their main worries were and what services they needed.” The Trust was set up in 1985 and now has over 52 staff and 10,000 active volunteers across the UK.

Ms Jarvis built the charity by selling her own home and business to fund the project herself.

A recent survey by Age UK found a third of people over the age of 65 feel lonely and owning a pet can be crucial in battling this loneliness.

“For many people, owning a pet is a reason for living, a reason to get up in the morning and constant company which comforts people. Animals can sense moods, and a wet nose or furry head can be enough to comfort someone and say ‘hey I’m here, and it’s ok’,” says Ms Jarvis.

“We also give older people courage to get another pet as they are not worried about the future of the animal after they can no longer care for them. This is due to the fostering for life and sanctuaries the charity runs.”

There are also benefits that can come from the connection between the volunteer and the pet owners, who have a shared interest in animals and provide another form of company for many older people.

“Often great friendships are formed between the owner and the volunteer, with volunteers becoming genuinely very fond of the older person.

“There are 15,000 registered volunteers, with 10,000 active at any time.”

Ms Jarvis highlights the serious and sensitive nature of the work the charity provides.

“It is important older people are not let down, this isn’t playing and is often a matter of life and death. Constancy and reliability is key to the service the charity provides, so that elderly people are not fretting about whether their animal will receive care or not.”

The support of the volunteers allows older people to continue having a pet for longer than they would if they were on their own. Elderly people also can feel reassured that their pet will be cared for after they die, bringing them comfort.

Mr Jarvis said: “Older people find a lot of comfort in knowing that when they die their pet will be safe and that there is a helpline 24 hours a day so that people caring for their animals can seek advice and support.

Linda Beddows from Lytham St Ann’s has been a volunteer for the charity for the last two years. During this time she has walked Mickey, a Jack Russell owned by an elderly lady who has arthritis.

Ms Beddows said: “One of the nice things about the Cinnamon Trust is the bond between volunteer and the pet owners as there is regular contact and a mutual trust that both have the dog’s best interests at heart.

“I was told about the Trust by a friend when my dog died but because I travel a lot, was unable to get another pet myself. This was a good alternative for me.”

“It genuinely is like going back to visit an old friend and sharing some good conversations together”.

For Derek Bundy in Somerset, the charity has been a lifeline. Mr Bundy is wheelchair bound having suffered a heart attack and a major stroke.

“Apart from all this, I am fine thanks largely to the love of my life, my dog Sky. She has brought immense happiness to my life. But without the support of the Cinnamon Trust and the dog walkers that they have organised for me, I would not be able to own a dog and life would be very different. Each morning I wake up to Sky’s face beside me, eager to get going and we spend the day together. She has the run of the garden and absolutely loves being taken out for regular walks by my Cinnamon Trust dog walkers.”

The charity relies solely on donations, Ms Jarvis continues: “Fundraisers are so important to the charity. We have people running marathons and sky diving and doing all sorts of crazy things all of which we are so grateful for. I personally write a letter to say thank you to all fundraisers.”

There are two sanctuaries maintained in Devon and Cornwall, which provide care for animals whose owner has passed away. The Cinnamon Trust aim to make the sanctuaries as personal as possible so that elderly people can be reassured that their loved pets will continue the quality of life they are used to.

“In the sanctuaries there are no kennels, instead we have sofas, chairs, rugs and it is a lovely free environment. Many of the animals enjoy the company of other animals and, with the majority coming from towns or cities, are given a new lease of life!”

“This environment is not for all animals. We are careful this cannot be done on a mass scale basis, every animal is unique and so is every owner. Because we treat each fostering process uniquely we make sure that the animals are in the best place for them to carry on living happily after their owner can no longer care for them.”

One of the key aspects of the charity is their fostering for life service, where pets of elderly people who have passed away are matched with suitable people and families, often being volunteers who have already been caring for that particular animal. This allows the pet to feel immediately comfortable with their new owner and settle faster.

Also, elderly people can foster pets if their own animals have died and they have a passion for animals.

“There are over 1,000 animals that have been fostered by families, with many fostering more than one animal, and all the vets’ bills are paid for by the charity.”

“Some pet owners want to know that their pet is happy and secure with a foster owner before they die, most want their pet with them until they die, and in these situations we have volunteers who the animal already has a connection with on standby to make sure the animal has immediate care after their owner has died.”

“We are always looking for short and long term fosterers, and anybody who would like to help or needs help please do get in touch.”

For more information on the Trust, please go to www.cinnamon.org.uk