Page 14 - Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens - November '24

Page 14, Lifestyles in Palm Beach Gardens
The Pet Cottage Post

Senior Maltese Mix Needs Now, with the support of our Lifelong Guardianship
Program, we are committed to helping Sophie heal and
Rehabilitation recover, ensuring she receives the love and care she deserves.
By matching pets with caring Forever Guardians and
At The Pet Cottage, we often covering all their medical expenses, The Pet Cottage ensures
welcome pets in need of these cherished animals can enjoy their golden years in loving
rehabilitation due to their owners’ homes. This essential service comes at a great cost, as we
declining health, both physical currently care for 56 pets, 47 of whom are seniors. Your
and mental. As a person’s health generous donation can make a meaningful difference in the
deteriorates – whether from aging lives of Sophie and many other deserving animals.
or illness – the care they provide To become an active part of our work for all pets please
to their beloved pets often suffers. consider donating today!
We frequently encounter animals that Your heart will grow a whole size bigger, and our tails
have not been groomed for a long time, arriving matted and will wag even more.
dirty. Others come to us underweight because their owners The Pet Cottage
have forgotten to feed them, while some are significantly Wendy Derhak Founder/Executive Director Please visit https://www.thepetcottage.org or call (561)
overweight due to overfeeding during periods of neglect. 17049 Thunder Road 818-5025 for more information.
Fleas and other parasites are not uncommon as well. Jupiter, FL 33478 Visitors are welcome by appointment.
In our society, it’s common for families to live far apart,
especially in South Florida, where many seniors retire and “Service is our number one priority”
leave their extended families behind. Family members often
visit during the holidays, only to be heartbroken by the 561-743-0070
changes in their parents or grandparents. Difficult decisions
are sometimes made during these visits, including moving
loved ones into assisted living or memory care facilities. www.palmspoolservices.com
Unfortunately, this often means they can no longer care for
their pets. Similarly, when a relative passes away, pets may
be left in the care of family members who are now faced with
making urgent decisions.
Recently, The Pet
Cottage welcomed Sophie,
a 10-year-old Maltipoo, in
terrible shape. Her owner
had suffered a stroke, was
hospitalized, and never
returned home. Family
members, overwhelmed with
grief, struggled to manage
her affairs. For three months, Expires 12/15/24.
Sophie was left alone in
the home, receiving only State Licensed & Insured CPC #
brief visits for feeding and Serving Palm Beach County 1457468 • LPG#30099
walking. When a niece flew Sophie
in to check on things, she
was shocked to discover Sophie still living there. The little
dog was terrified of people, severely matted, in clear pain, and
had become aggressive. Her owner had been unable to care
for her for some time before
being hospitalized, leaving
Sophie in a dire situation.
The Pet Cottage is
fortunate to have dedicated
volunteers like Michelle
and Matt, who possess a
special talent for caring
for these hurting souls.
They open their hearts and
home to pups like Sophie,
providing the extra TLC and
time needed before these
animals can be placed with
a Forever Guardian. It takes Sophie in the car
patience, perseverance, and
an abundance of love to build trust with a senior pet that has
experienced neglect.

Michelle Perunko and Sophie