Tyson's Place Gives Senior Pets A Second Chance

Helping a terminally loved one is often an overwhelming task. Doctor and hospital visits, providing care and a host of other responsibilities can be all-encompassing. As a result of the illness, caregivers often are forced to find new homes for their loved one’s pet. In many cases, that means a shelter where animals may have a slim chance of being adopted, especially elder pets.

A west Michigan nonprofit is working to give caregivers and the terminally ill a different option. Tyson’s Place Animal Rescue’s mission is to assist terminally ill people with caring for and finding new families for their pets, according to founder Jill Bannink-Albrecht.

A former shelter worker, she started the organization in 2014. Operating on a shoestring budget of about $5,000 per year, Bannink-Albrecht told the Holland Sentinel that Tyson’s Place also assists families with placing pets after pet owners have passed away.

It’s not an easy job and the organization relies on donations to keep going. But funding isn’t the only thing Tyson’s Place is in need of, Bannink-Albrecht said.

“We need foster homes, especially for cats,” Bannink-Albrecht told the newspaper. “Since we don’t have a facility, we rely on volunteers to temporarily house the cats and dogs until they are adopted. We provide the supplies and veterinary care, and you provide the love. We can only take in an animal from a person in need if we have an available foster home.”

For more information, visit Tyson’s Place website or find them on Facebook. Call Phone: 616-730-1122 or by email at tysonplacerescue@gmail.com.

Photo by David Locke via Flickr Commons