Pets and Their Impact on Mental Health

Jennifer Hunt, Founder & CEO of Pet Medical Crisis knows the bond you share with a pet can do a lot to support your mental health.

Pets are more and more appreciated for creating that unique bond which provides mutual benefits to both pet and owner – from alleviating loneliness and improving social interactions, to creating or adding to the family and bringing physical and mental health benefits.

Jennifer recalls taking her dog Jed for a typical evening walk when she got talking with a lady. She ended up inviting her to join in the walk. They didn’t go very far, just around the block, and when they got back the lady was in a state of amazement. She had lived in the area for 30 years and said, ‘No-one ever talks to me when I go for a walk or down the street. You’ve just had 5 people talk to you in 10 minutes – people you don’t even know!’

Jennifer wasn’t a bit surprised as they were a normal part of Jed’s and her life, but the difference for Marl! You see she had never had a pet. Instantly Jennifer knew that Marl’s quality of life would have been enormously enhanced for years if she became a pet owner.

Owning a pet opens the door to start conversations and connect with others. Dog owners would be very familiar with going to the park to let their dogs socialise, getting to know the name of all the pets and feeling a kinship with the owners irrespective of ever find out each other’s names. It doesn’t matter. You are part of a club who just connect on an honest and ground-roots level over the love of your pets.

Preserving the incredible bond between pet and owner is vital to preserving the owner’s stability and mental health benefits. When a pet becomes sick and an owner cannot afford veterinary care, they feel despair and helplessness – often exacerbating mental health issues that have been dormant during the days to years of blissful companionship.

Pet Medical Crisis is a unique charity assisting pensioners and disadvantaged owners to provide life saving veterinary care which is out of reach due to financial constraints. Their clients are people whose lives are greatly improved by having a pet. Whether it be a dog, cat, rabbit, bird, guinea pig, chicken… – if it’s important to the owner, it’s important to them.

Pet Medical Crisis’ aim is to bridge the gap between a vet’s best price and what the owner can afford, up to $1,000. Their work helps vets to save pets, putting smiles and much relief into everyone’s day. The sustainable model has already benefited 530 pensioners with approximately $470K distributed for veterinary needs in Victoria.  

By working together with vets and owners, Pet Medical Crisis are saving lives, giving hope to the most disadvantaged owners in the community and preserving the mental health of not only the owners but also vets.

More about Pet Medical Crisis www.petmedicalcrisis.com.au

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