Senior citizen program supplies pet food, similar to Meals on Wheels – IndyStar

Honeybunny has a delicate constitution.
When a meal doesn’t agree with her, she winds up constipated or her big brown eyes run with tears. You see, Honeybunny is a 14-year-old shih tzu.
Honeybunny’s human Sarita Williams lives on a limited income. So she used to have to pinch pennies in other parts of her budget if she wanted to pay the more costly food that agrees with her beloved pet.
Then Williams, who receives Meals on Wheels for herself and her 86-year-old mother with whom she lives, heard about a new program from CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions, Central Indiana’s Area Agency on Aging.
Called Pet Connect, the program does for seniors’ pets what Meals on Wheels does for seniors — ensure they have access to healthy nutritious food.
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Under the program, which started in January, a CICOA staff member delivers a month’s supply of food and pet supplies to low-income homebound seniors. About 100 clients and their dogs and cats — no reptiles or birds thus far — participate.
The first delivery that Williams, 70, received earlier this year included a hefty bag of Iams Dog Food, one of those high-priced brands that agree with Honeybunny’s delicate stomach.
“It’s a big help because it’s expensive,” said Williams, who lives on the east side, adding that without Pet Connect Honeybunny would “just have to make do.”
CICOA President and CEO Tauhric Brown learned about a similar program in his previous job in Kalamazoo, Mich., and resolved to start one here. Grants totaling $7,500 from Meals on Wheels America and PetSmart Charities helped make it a reality along with an additional $2,000 from community donations.
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Many seniors on fixed incomes find themselves having to choose between buying food or medicine for themselves or their pets, Brown said. Pet Connect removes that tension by providing free pet supplies.
“Do I pick up my prescription and fill it this month or do I spend money on my furry companion?” Brown said.
It’s a calculus that Alan Hall, 61, knows well and he knows instantly on which side of the equation he would fall if it came to that for his beloved black cat Princess. Six years ago Princess showed up outside Hall’s south side apartment and moved into his life.
Since then, Princess has never been far from Hall’s side.
“Everything has gone up so much — pet food, people food,” he said. “I’d do the same — choose to feed an animal over medicine.”
Eventually CICOA hopes to expand the program to additional counties. Brown said they’ve also heard from many seniors who feed local strays and they’re trying to figure out if there’s a way to help those kind-hearted elders help these animals.
But for Williams, Honeybunny is the one helping her. She saw her through her daughter’s death from ovarian cancer and is good-natured about modeling a series of outfits that Williams keeps on hand for her. The surprisingly spry 14-year-old dog still jumps for treats and dances to elicit a hearty laugh from Williams.
“She’s my life. “She’s my therapy,” Williams says of Honeybunny.
Contact IndyStar reporter Shari Rudavsky at [email protected]. Follow her on Facebook and on Twitter: @srudavsky.

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