Montclair Program Will Pair Seniors With Pets In Need

MONTCLAIR, NJ — A new program in Montclair will help match local seniors with pets in need of a home – a win-win situation for the entire town, advocates say.

Under Montclair’s “Seniors and Pets Healthy Living Program,” older adults in the township who want to adopt or foster a dog or cat can get help finding a purrfect match – and financial help with animal care expenses, too.

The Montclair Animal Shelter will plan and implement the program in partnership with the Department of Senior Services and Humane Montclair, as well as local community stakeholders.

The new initiative will roll out this year.

Anyone interested in volunteering or discussing a foster/adoption through this program can contact animal shelter director Elizabeth Bibber-Morgan at 973-744-8600.

Studies show that owning a pet provides health benefits for seniors, such as increased physical activity and socialization, reducing feelings of isolation and reducing cognitive decline.

The effort got a financial boost from Mars Pet Care, which recently awarded the Montclair Animal Shelter a $20,000 grant through its Better Cities for Pets program.

Several community members said Montclair’s new program will be great for everyone involved.

“Facilitating a senior connection with pets is a quality-of-life win-win for both people and the pets we will be able to rehome,” the town’s senior services director Judy Hurley said.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to put compassion in action for the people and pets in our community,” agreed Humane Montclair founder Annete Batson.

“We appreciate the generosity of Mars Pet Care, our corporate partner, and the unique opportunity this brings to our town to increase the quality of life for seniors and pets in Montclair,” interim town manager Micheal Lapolla said.

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