Pet Guardians was founded in the summer of 2006 to assist elderly pet owners primarily in Lancaster County , PA. Residents outside the county, however, will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Through her experiences with Animal Assisted Therapy with senior citizens, Dr. Debra Vredenburg-Rudy observed first hand how important pets are to their owners and was moved to create an organization that would serve them.
Pet Guardians is a small group of volunteers devoted to assisting older adults who can no longer care for their pets due illness or decline in physical health. Often when there's no appointed guardian for a pet, an individual must face the cold reality of relinquishing the animal to a shelter or even putting it to sleep, which is stressful for both the pet and its owner. Clients are referred to us by social workers and hospice representatives from local agencies. Our purpose is to provide comfort and peace of mind to elderly persons who are planning to enter a care facility or individuals who are near the end of life by finding homes for their pets when they are unable to care for them. Specifically, we assist clients who have no family members and friends willing or able to care for their pets. In some cases, we may work with a family to help find homes for the pets of their loved ones.
We are NOT a rescue shelter for animals but a network of individuals who love animals and want to help others.