Woof! More dogs living in retirement homes


Every day, retirement homes and assisted living communities continue to get better. And now, add a new improvement to the list: more senior living communities are now allowing pets and other small animals in their homes.

As reported recently in the Associated Press newswire, one retirement community about 20 miles east of Los Angeles, Regency Grand, is part of a growing trend of such communities welcoming pets as part of their family.

Shirlee Horowitz, 77, lives at the Regency Grand with her husband and their dog Barney, but she told the news source that she was originally concerned that even though the community allowed dogs, it wouldn’t be a right fit for him.

“I worried more about him because he had a big yard before,” she said. “But he has adjusted to this better than we have.”

According to the article, allowing pets often does not mean a blanket acceptance of all animals, and even among cats and dogs, only specific breeds, such as the smaller and more docile varieties, are allowed in.

Leah Hynes of the Regency Grand told the Associated Press that nearly one-third of their residents have a pet at any given time, but no doubt with more seniors moving into such communities, that number will continue to grow.