Happy New Year From Animal Hospice Group:
New Year’s Resolutions for You and Your Pets
By Tracy Brad, MS
Director of Marketing & Communications, Animal Hospice Group
The New Year is finally here! We at Animal Hospice Group rang in 2023 with friends, family, and our pets. For many of us, the new year came in with crazy winter weather: snowstorms, record low temperatures, floods, and high winds. Between weathering a multi-year pandemic and preparing for turbulent conditions, there’s been a lot of unpredictability in life recently, which is one reason why many of us appreciate the metaphorical “fresh start” that a new year brings. That’s why we’re happy to bring you a few resolutions that can get you started on the foot with pet care, being present, and planning for the future.
The New Year is a time for resolutions, reawakening, and renewal. It’s a time to spend with friends and family, including our animal companions. Whether you make resolutions every year or not, this is a good time to look at your goals and plans for yourselves and for your animals.
Here are a few resolutions from us at Animal Hospice Group that can help make your family happier, healthier, and more prepared for whatever lies ahead. Whether your animal is young, middle-aged, or a senior, it’s never a bad time to make plans – for the present, and for the future.
6 Self Care & Pet Care
Things You Could Do In 2023
-
Take a closer look at what you’re eating.
A lot of the time, health issues for ourselves or for our animals begin on the plate or in the bowl. Small changes like decreasing portions, adding healthy, doctor and veterinarian-advised foods, and taking professionally recommended supplements, can make a big difference for you and your pets!
-
Make that annual checkup.
Yearly doctor and veterinary appointments are so important to catching issues early and keeping both you and your animals healthy. Lumps and bumps can be checked, teeth can be examined to see if a dental is advised, and bloodwork can often reveal an issue that you might not be aware of. And if you’ve seen changes in your animal’s behavior, weight, or appearance, visiting your veterinarian more frequently can help address potential issues, as well.
-
Learn something new.
Have you wanted to learn more about animals and animal care? Is continuing education on your list of New Year’s Resolutions? Are you curious to see what pet hospice is all about? Take a look at Animal Hospice Group’s continuing education opportunities, including how you can become a Certified Animal Hospice Practitioner through the Animal Hospice Group, here: http://join.animalhospicegroup.org.
-
Become more active.
Every active moment counts! Whether you’re walking, swimming (don’t forget your dogs – some of them love hydrotherapy!), doing yoga, weight training, hiking, biking, playing fetch, or running, those endorphins can help you and your pets feel happier and healthier, especially during the darker, drearier weather. You don’t have to be active alone, either – a human workout buddy or a pet can help you stay motivated. And if you’re stuck in the house because of the weather, fun indoor activities with your pets could include hide and seek (some animals, including cats, love this!), subdued indoor fetch, scent games, or making enrichment from all of your holiday boxes, bags, and used wrapping paper.
-
Plan for the future.
Many of us have a plan for major life events, like education, graduation, weddings, and births. We work with teachers, professors, wedding coordinators, doctors, and doulas to help guide us through these moments. But many of us don’t think about our plans for the last part of life’s journey. Making an end-of-life plan, for yourselves and for your animals, can help you find love, joy, and support during this stage of life, as well. Human hospice and animal hospice alike are wonderful options for end-of-life care, and thinking about this now can help you be better prepared and weather whatever storm might come next. Ask what you think your end-of-life plan might look like for you and for your pets, and consider working with a professional for this important life stage, too. Animal Hospice Group can provide an umbrella of support during times you and your pet(s) needs animal hospice to get through pet care storms. To learn more about how Animal Hospice Group can help you and your pets, please visit: http://join.animalhospicegroup.org.
-
Take time now.
At least once every day, even if only for a few minutes, take a few deep breaths and enjoy the company (or love, if they’re distant) of your friends and family. Remember that you and your animals aren’t alone, and that love is an infinite resource – the more you give, the more you get.
|
From all of us at Animal Hospice Group, may your 2023 be filled with love, hope, and happiness for you and your families, human and animal alike.
Donate to Animal Hospice Group!
Please show us all that you like this article by sharing, commenting, and/or giving this a "LIKE" on Facebook.
