K9 Capers are proud to be able to offer their fullest support to The Cinnamon Trust. They provide an excellent service for the elderly or terminally ill which you can read about below. We wish them continued success in all they do. You can see the full details of The Cinnamon Trust by visiting their website at www.cinnamon.org.uk

THE CINNAMON TRUST

It is now widely acknowledged that pets can positively benefit the well-being of elderly owners. For many elderly people living on their own, their pets are their reason for living. They are constant companions - on hand 24 hours a day, every day, comforting, loving and protecting their owners - not only from outside threats, but also offering the more subtle form of protection from loneliness and despair.

Pets are warm and intensely loyal. They do not criticise, they boost morale, they help reduce stress by providing emotional security, and they help to provide a fixed routine. Pets have the ability to bring happiness and laughter and lift depression. Communication with other people is often easier when a pet is present.

Research has shown that older people did not benefit as much as they should, they did not enjoy as much as they should, they did not replace an old faithful who had died. Why? The answer was very real and sometimes quite awful anxiety and fear. The relationship between old people and their pets is so treasured, so precious and so fragile. All the problems could be demonstrated in four simple questions - "What if I become ill?", "What if I become housebound?", "What if I have to go into a home?", "What if I die?". The Cinnamon Trust fully addresses each question, answers it with practical help and gives back to people the peace of mind they deserve, the joy of pet owning they have always had and the Trust gives to animals the love, care and safety that I believe we owe them.

How? We have an established national network of some 4,500 registered volunteers. All volunteers are tasked from our headquarters in Cornwall and all help in the ways that are most appropriate to them. Teams take it in turn to visit housebound owners, to take dogs for daily walks; volunteers foster pets as one of their family when owners face a spell in hospital, they take pets to the vet, they go and buy the cat food, clean the budgie's cage out. We can tackle any problem posed in day to day care of pets. We have established a national register of nursing homes, residential homes, sheltered housing for the elderly that will accept residents and their pets. To date we know of 820 such places and, in order to promote this practice and reward it, we organise an annual "Pet Friendly Care Home of the Year Award". I think it is safe to say that any elderly pet owner too frail to stay in their own home need now no longer fear they will be parted from their much loved and needed pet.

The National Charity for elderly or terminally ill people and their pets.

Founder and Director: Mrs Averil Jarvis
Patrons: Katie Boyle, Virginia McKenna, Nerys Hughes, Sir Peter O'Sullevan, Sir Paul McCartney.

Registered charity number 293399

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