Handicapped Pets - For Elderly, Disabled, Special Needs, and Injured Pets

Pet care - Handicapped pet friendly facility

1 - Commitment:

            This pet care facility cares for handicapped, disabled, and special needs pets where such care will not threaten the health or safety of the pet, the staff, or other animals at the facility.

A)     Establishment will not apply additional charges for the care handicapped pets unless the charges can be shown to be directly associated with the care of the pet such as special food, medicines, or equipment needed that is not supplied by the pet owner.

B)     Staff of the establishment is willing to use any necessary equipment, as supplied by the pet owner, in the care of the pet. This includes

a.      wheelchairs

b.      walking assistance equipment like slings, harnesses, and rear-support leashes

c.      protective equipment such as pet boots, protective boots, or protective clothing

d.      and other equipment as needed by the animal and supplied by the pet owner.

2 – Capability

            This pet care facility has the capability to care for a handicapped pet.

A)     Establishment has a process and procedure in place for accepting and storing special equipment provided by the pet owner for the pet’s care such as a Special Equipment Intake Form (example attached). 

B)     Staff members are familiar with the use of basic handicapped pet care equipment. At least one full-time staff member or two part-time staff members are familiar with common pet care equipment per item 3, below).

C)    All areas that pets must have access to are pet-wheelchair accessible. In the event that there is a limit to the number of pets that can be housed in the handicapped pets accessible area, this will be specified in the application (for example, there could be only 10 first-floor sleeping facilities and the remaining require stairs)

3 - Education.

            One full-time or two part-time staff members are familiar with these procedures for every ten handicapped pets cared for at any one time.

    a) How to put on and use

a.      Front and rear harness.

b.      Belly-type Carrying sling

c.      Pet Wheelchair; support sling type and Fixed Saddle type.

d.      Pet boots and Leg Splints.

e.      Leg Wraps, Diapers.

    b) Expressing an animal (urinary and bowel).

    c) Exercise requirements & Methods

    d) Indications that veterinary care is needed

    e) Lifting a disabled animal