Sometimes we don’t realize when time passes by. And one day, we see that our pets walk a little slower. The hair around their eyes is whiter. The naps get a little longer.
But the lesson remains the same: living for the present and enjoying each moment filled with love.
That is what pets teach us constantly. And our Palliative Care Program is the greatest example of that.
After all, the program is all about living.
And Tink is teaching Deborah and Roger that every day.
Tink, 14 at the time, came into the care of the Cape Breton Shelter at the end of 2024. He had his slew of medical problems, as expected from someone his age. The staff discovered he had arthritis, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease.
Add his age to that, and everyone decided that the shelter wasn’t a great environment for him to spend his sunshine years in. His medical care would have been expensive, but Tink still had a zest for life, so he was put in the Palliative Care Program to make it easier for him to find a loving home.
At the same time, Deborah and Roger knew they wanted a pet but decided to wait until their retirement so they could spend more time with their new family member.
One day at the end of December 2024, Deborah and her friend visited the Cape Breton Shelter. And the story might be cliché. But for Deborah and Tink, it was love at first sight. So, that same day, not only did their family get bigger, but so did the room in their hearts for all the love they were about to receive and give. 
A new place is an adjustment for everyone. New smells, new sounds will make anyone – two or four-legged – a little jumpy.
“He spent the first day and a half in the back of the closet,” Roger said. “I would sit on the floor, outside of the closet, waiting for him to make the first move.”
Eventually, he did, and since then, Tink has been ruling the house.
In a quieter way, though. “He is almost 16, so he doesn’t have as much energy. He doesn’t play. He gets the once-a-week zoomies,” Roger laughed.
Tink is now about that leisurely life, about relaxing and enjoying the moment with his favourite people. Or person in this case. “Deborah adopted him, but he’s definitely my cat,” Roger said. “He sleeps on my chest. He gets a little sad when I am away. Even now, I’m outside in the back garden, and he’s waiting inside by the patio door, eyes on me.”
And Roger’s eyes are on Tink just as much. “I really pay attention to what he does and needs. I monitor him all the time. And the staff at the Cape Breton Shelter are amazing, really. I can call them about anything, and they will help immediately. They really care about the pets. I can’t say enough great words about them.”
Roger and Deborah know they don’t have a lot of time with Tink, so they try to make every day count. “He wants what he wants, and who am I to tell him he doesn’t get something? We know our time with him is limited. So, we try to take great care of him.”
It’s been more than a year since Tink has been in a fantastic home, being a happy little kitty, soaking in the love and teaching his people about the importance of being present.
Senior pets might not be with us for as long, and the heartbreak of the empty space comes quicker, but the love they offer and leave us with stays with us all the time.
“You need patience and understanding, they are probably set in their ways already. But they deserve a good life and a good last hurrah,” Roger said about adopting a senior pet.
As mentioned, it’s all about living. Living with intention, patience, love, and the knowledge that you gave a pet, older in age but young at heart, the most beautiful last weeks, months, or even years.
If you’re ready to open your heart and home to a new family member, visit the Nova Scotia SPCA adoption webpage.
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The Palliative Care Program is about living for senior pets. The Nova Scotia SPCA takes care of the medical care, while you provide a loving retirement home. To learn more about the program, visit www.novascotiaspca.ca/palliative-care-program.