Fairfax Pets On Wheels Seeks Volunteers

Press release from FPOW:

June 21, 2022

Since 1987, all-volunteer Fairfax Pets on Wheels (FPOW) has been licking loneliness by bringing companionship and improved quality of life to residents of participating nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and adult day health care centers throughout Fairfax County. Sponsored by the Fairfax Area Agency on Aging, FPOW is approved by the American Kennel Club as an AKC-recognized therapy dog group, and FPOW volunteers make a difference every day by sharing the unconditional love of their pets during thousands of hours of therapy visits every year.

Pet visitation is proven to have a calming effect. Regular visits by trained volunteer/pet teams help reduce anxiety, relieve depression, lower blood pressure, encourage communication, and increase socialization. What’s more, touching animals helps chase away loneliness, depression, and withdrawal and encourages a meaningful connection to happier times.

Do You Have a Pet That Makes People Smile?

FPOW currently has a waiting list of long-term care facilities in Fairfax County that would like to be part of the program. But more volunteer/pet teams are needed to meet the demand.

If you have a lovable dog, cat, or bunny that would enjoy putting a smile on someone’s face, consider becoming a FPOW pet visitation team, and share the power of the human-animal bond with our neighbors who need it most. You’ll touch someone’s life—and change your own.

To learn more about how to become a pet visitation team—or to explore other volunteer opportunities with Fairfax Pets on Wheels—visit fpow.org or send an email to [email protected].

This press release was produced by FPOW. The views expressed here are the author's own.