Conference misery::feline_v1

    
    
    	Where does this woman live? (ie her own home, a retirement
    complex, etc.) The information you give is not too clear. I
    know there are organizations (Purina is one, I think) that advocate
    owning of companion pets by the elderly. Studies have shown that
    the pets lower blood pressure, and theoretically make the owner
    healthier.
    	
    	I know of at least on nursing home (Westboro) that has a `mascot'.
    In this case, it is a dog owned by one of the staff members, and
    it is brought in periodically to visit the patients. He is even
    given the run of the floor where the minimum care patients reside.
    If the state allows pets to visit nursing homes, why wouldn't they
    allow the elderly to own them as well? 
    
    	I realize that you are looking for more information yourself,
    but I have never heard about what you've reported. Do you think
    you can give *us* a little more info? 
     

    Yes, we need more information.  Unfortunately, this woman
    probably will not be able to force the <insert landlord or
    housing agent here> to let her keep another cat.  IF she
    is fortunate enough to live in low-cost elderly housing
    that was subsidized with Federal funds, then she must be
    allowed to keep a pet.  But otherwise, unless her lease
    specifically allows it, she might not be able to.  And a
    landlord could change the terms when the annual renewal is
    done.  Sometimes people keep pets against the rules of their
    lease, but they run the risk of being "caught" and then face
    the decision of whether the move or to place the pet(s)
    elsewhere.  Tricky business, unless the lease specifically
    allows the pets and specifies that they may stay in the
    future...  I assume this lady does not own her own home.
    
    BTW...does anyone know of any existing Federally subsidized
    elderly housing?  I remember reading about this new requirement,
    but I have never seen or heard of such a place actually existing!
    
    	Penelope

    re.1
    Them woman on the news report was a resident of a housing project
    for senior citizens in Boston. 
    I recall this situation being brought up about two years ago whne
    a small group of senior citizens protested that they were not allowed
    to have pets in any of the housing developments for senior citizens.
    There were several talk shows which covered this situaion then and
    a woman who was the leader in the anti-pet campaign suggested that
    a good companion could be a goldfish!!!!
    Here in Marlboro I met a woman in a restaurant who lives in one
    of the senior citizen developments and she told me through a stream
    of tears that her cat ,"mittens" had passed away and she was not
    allowed to replace him and the lonliness was killing her, that was
    over a year ago that I met this woman.
    So, the Bill I am trying to learn about is in connection with this
    protest that happened back then, and I was very thrilled to see
    that it had more supporters now and I would like to add my support.
    I hope I made the situation a bit clearer
    Fran
    

    I saw the same news report and almost started crying myself.  I
    couldn't imagine life without my boys.
    The way it works as I understood it, is that about 4 years ago,
    the Federal law changed allowing small pets in federally subsidized
    senior housing.  However, according to the news report, state laws
    are slow in changing and this particular bill has already been vetoed
    in MA for I think the last 4 years.  
    
    I have an article here from today's Boston Globe.  I'll reprint
    it (without permission) - it does not specify the House Bill #.
    
    ***********************************
    
    PANEL OK's BILL ON PETS FOR ELDERLY
    
    	A legislative panel gave unanimous approval yesterday to a bill
    that would allow residents of state housing developments for the
    elderly to keep pets.
    
    	Priscilla Mehuen, a 14-year resident of state housing for the
    elderly, testified that a pilot program in which residents can keep
    pets has been successful.  Mehuen said the program "has helped a
    number of residents...they seem less depressed and less unhappy."
    
    	Marion Powers, the head of the Wayland Housing Authority, agreed.
    "After a lifetime of independence," she said, "having a pet that
    depends on you can give you back a sense of usefulness. ...To deny
    a lonely old person the companionship of a pet would be a great
    injustice."
    
    	The bill has been filed on Beacon Hill since 1983, the same
    year the federal government amended its standards to allow pets,
    but has never been acted on.  The bill, which was approved by the
    Legislature's Housing and Urban Development Committee, now goes
    to the full House.
    

    I'm praying that they have the sense and compassion to pass this
    Bill!!!
    I feel helpless not knowing how to offer my support.....
    
    Fran
    

    If anyone can find out the number of this bill, please let us know.
    I would love to write to my rep in support of it.
    
    My grandmother was in a nursing home that had a "mascot" cat.  It
    belonged to the activities director, I think, and basically lived
    in her office.  This woman actually had a screen door on her office
    so that the cat could watch the comings-and-goings in the hallway
    when it didn't have free run of the place!
    
    It added a warm, homey, and humorous touch to an otherwise sterile
    and somewhat depressing environment!
    
    Joanne
    

    CADPO
    (Citizens Against Housing Discrimination for Pet Owners, Inc.)
    Dept. CF, P.O. Box 9
    North Hollywood, CA  91603-0009
    ($10 annual fee)

    The following is excerpted, without permission, from:  Cat Fancy,
    April 1988, p. 14, "Serving Animals" by Susan Easterly.

	CADPO is an organization begun six years ago by Lucille
	Hoyne (then 76), a resident who became concerned that so many 
	people in her area were forced to give up their pets to find a
	decent place to rent.... 

	CADPO's primary goal is to change the all-too-common "No
	Pets" policy among rental housing owners to "Welcome with
	Qualifying Pets!" 

	CADPO's partial checklist:

	    o  Is your pet spayed or neutered?
	    o  Is the animal current on inoculations?
	    o  How is the cat litter handled?
	    o  Is the owner willing to pay an additional pet deposit?

    Might this help you renters out there including the elderly?

				Julie

    RE.7
    Very helpful information!
    thank you
    

    I just called my congressman's office here in Nashua, NH and inquired
    about this "bill".  It is no longer a bill but a "National Federal
    Law" and anyone falling into the elderly or handicapped category
    may keep their pet.  This happened in 1983 and I requested a copy
    of a letter done in 1985 about the law. 
    
    My Mom is in a nursing home and they have a "resident pet rabbit"
    (French Lop).  They also encourage families and friends to bring
    in their "well-behaved" pets for the residents to pet.  My toy poodle,
    Cookie, is a regular visitor there now and I've seen many other
    folks come in with their dogs and cats.  I'm planning to bring one
    of my 3 cats in soon (the other two would panic I think but not
    "D.P. Gremlin"  :-)  )
    
    Pat
    

    re.9
    That's wonderful News!!!!!
    I wonder what the exactly it was that I saw on the news that
    evening, I am sure they talked about the need for a "bill" to
    be passed for the elderly to keep their pets who lived in federally
    funded housing projects, but this seems inconsistent with it being
    a National federal Law......
    I hope the law never changes as when I am one day one of the elderly
    I wouldn't make it very long with a kitten to cuddle.
    Fran