Today we also celebrate World Animal Day! And as part of our 2nd Edition of Senior Week, we have decided to dedicate today's blog to how animals can help evoke emotions and bring back good memories for seniors. For this, we have the collaboration of Martín Martín, founder of Betilagun, an animal protection group in Vitoria; and Kontxi Barriga, from the Sociocultural Animation department of a senior residence in Vitoria, Albertia.
INTERVIEW WITH THE BETIGALUN ANIMAL PROTECTION ASSOCIATION
Who makes up and makes Betilagun possible?
First, let's remember that the vast majority of animal protection groups, if not all, are made up of volunteers, meaning they use their free time to help animals without getting paid, like ours.
What is the daily life of an animal protection association like Betilagun?
Our daily life is hectic. Work and more work, and sometimes, perhaps too often, we can't keep up; our resources are limited. Every day we have to answer calls. Too many at this time, unfortunately. Animals in poor condition, litters appearing in private gardens, lost animals, people asking about the new law, requesting help to capture or sterilize cats in their area because they lack physical or financial means, answering calls from potential adopters, people asking about the animals we have, and much more.
On the other hand, we always have to attend to some foster home, check on the animals in our care. Almost every day there is a vaccine to give, deworming, veterinary check-up, sterilization, or, unfortunately, an emergency visit for an animal that is unwell.
We also have daily errands: stocking foster homes, making pickups, taking animals to the vet, taking stray cats for sterilization, picking them up, and when they are awake and recovered, releasing them back in the same place.
We have to collect donations, which are very important for us, such as pet food, blankets, carriers, etc.; pay veterinary bills where practically all our money goes.
Then there is the task that some team members never miss a single day of the year. Not even on New Year's Eve. Because they are always waiting for them. We are talking about the stray cats. We take care of 15 colonies that need to be fed in the municipality of Vitoria, where food doesn't arrive and must be sourced from wherever possible. It is probably the toughest job. Daily, whether it's cold, hot, pouring rain, a holiday or not.
Also, there is the whole matter of registrations, website, and social media so that people can learn about our work, and if they like it, help us, either by volunteering or by making financial donations or donating supplies or food.
How do animals arrive at Betilagun? What stories do they have?
They arrive through every possible way you can imagine: in containers, unwanted litters, abandonment, abuse, etc. But we focus on homeless or abandoned animals, which is our priority and those most in need. All have a past, and generally, it’s a bad one. If they were loved, they wouldn’t end up in a shelter.
Today is World Animal Day. As a society, are we making progress toward care and attention so that animals can have a quality and dignified life?
Spain is the European leader in dog and cat abandonment, with about 700 abandoned every day. Many of these (almost half) end up dead (due to illness, starvation, accidents, etc.) or euthanized in kennels or animal protection centers.
We are making great progress, but there is still so much to improve.
From your shelter, you carry out different activities with animals, such as visits to nursing homes. What animals accompany you on these visits? Could any animal and breed be included?
We conduct our dog visits in very different places, such as nursing homes for the elderly, residences for people with mental health issues, day centers for people with reduced mobility, and we also go to the Álava penitentiary center (this activity started recently, and we are thrilled).
The animals we use in these visits are our own adopted dogs. It’s quite remarkable that an abandoned dog can help people.
What other activities do you carry out to raise public awareness about the importance of animal care?
Our flagship activity to raise awareness among the public is talks at educational centers; whenever we are requested for a talk, we are there. This year, more than 300 students have benefited. Our goal is to achieve respect for all animals and not remain indifferent to animal abuse. Young people are key in this; they are our future. As someone once said, "Educate the child so you don’t have to punish the adult."
That’s why it’s essential:
- not buy
- not breed and, above all,
- adopt
How can people collaborate with Betilagun?
There are countless ways:
- By volunteering for the association doing various tasks we mentioned earlier, using some of your free time.
- By becoming a foster home, you take in an animal that may need special care and look after it until you find a permanent home or until the foster home decides otherwise. The foster home always sets the timeline. Ideally, it would be until finding a permanent owner, but there are circumstances that can limit the time in that home.
- By becoming a shelter supporter, donating a small amount monthly, starting from 5 euros. That money goes entirely to helping abandoned animals, although one-time donations are also possible. We have the shelter’s Bizum number 03044 or a Teaming group, where 1€ a month helps us a lot.
- They can also name us as beneficiaries in wills.
- But also by donating food, supplies, blankets...
We would like them not only to remember the shelter when they have a problem. To remember it beforehand by collaborating so that we become stronger and stronger and can help more animals. We believe social involvement is very important; if everyone contributed 1 minute and 1 cent...
INTERVIEW WITH THE ALBERTI SENIOR RESIDENCE
You proclaim yourselves as a pet-friendly residence that encourages family members to visit residents with the family’s pets, what benefits does interaction with animals bring to older people?
Dogs are welcome in our residence, but we do ask families who come to visit the center’s users to keep them on a leash to prevent falls or the dog running off scared...
The presence of a companion animal is beneficial in many ways for older people living in a residence; it can improve their quality of life and they make wonderful company.
One of the benefits is physical contact; it is something many elderly people may miss. Animals are affectionate beings that can be petted, touched, hugged, cuddled... So many emotions arise from these extraordinary encounters!
The dogs attract the users' attention and provide some mental stimulation through sight, touch, smell, and hearing. Being with the dogs during the sessions evokes memories of past experiences with animals. Older people remember their animals fondly and they are a source of great memories. The reminiscences that arise are very beneficial.
The animals, in this case the dogs that visit us, captivate our seniors, their movements and displays of play and affection catch their attention. They return their antics with huge smiles. Games and genuine, unexpected laughter blossom... we give them the chance to laugh, the unexpected happens, suddenly a somersault, the little dog runs off, hides behind the chairs...
Also, you schedule visits from the animals of the Betilagun shelter, how do these visits work: when are they held, how often, how did the initiative start, etc.?
The sessions are organized from September to June. 2 sessions per month, on Tuesdays from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Several volunteers from BETILAGUN attend accompanied by their dogs. Contact with the association, I propose the sessions by talking with Martín and from the very first moment we received a huge YES.
The visits consist of introducing the dogs, petting them, giving them snacks, walking with them, playing games, brushing them, recalling past experiences of the users with their animals…
This new term we proposed a change, moving the sessions to Tuesdays at 11:00 a.m. with the same frequency. The change is because, being a residence located in the center of Vitoria, the environment is very appealing for maintaining contact with the outside. A large majority of our users go outside the residential environment, go out for a drink, to the park, go out with their families, and with this change, we want to try to have more participants.
What kind of activities do you do with the Betilagun animals and the residents of Albertia?
Walks outside with their company, different games: throwing a ball or items the dogs can chew, feeding them, brushing them, math games like “if we have 5 dogs and each has 4 paws… how many paws do we have?”
What activities are the most popular among your residents?
When we remember that they are coming to visit, there are many dog fans who save their snack cookies to give to them later. They love holding them, feeding them, whistling to them… Walking outside the center with the dogs was a very beautiful experience.
We have even organized chess sessions with a volunteer, their child, and a user. Always in the wonderful company of the dogs: Tatu, Cartu, Sila, Betti, Zeus, Nana, Sando, Latz…
They really like smaller dogs, so they can hold them, have them in their arms, sit them on their laps, or even walk them in their own walkers.
Tell us an interesting anecdote you remember and want to share with us.
Personally, it moves me deeply to see how a user, in the few times we see them smile, does so through the bond they have with the dogs. They are so receptive, you can see they are happy and very comfortable. All the memories they receive at that moment are pleasant and enjoyable.
Some families are encouraged to bring their dogs to share the activity with their family member and other companions. It’s rare to hear them bark; the dogs themselves look calm and enjoy the atmosphere/environment. It’s true that they end up exhausted and with full stomachs!
When the dogs arrive, they already know which room to go to first, they know the way, and Cartu never forgets to stop by the kitchen!
A funny moment we had was when a volunteer brought her hamster. We played with him inside a ball/toy, and he was also walked outside the reach of the other dogs; they were very concerned about protecting him and making sure none of the dogs ate him…
A volunteer's dog visited us, and it was missing a paw. Everyone was very moved by him, and there was no rejection from the users. And whenever the others come, they ask about him.
