Behind The Scenes with GingerCare Pets || Linzi Newth

“…and the preacher said that dog even bowed his head to pray,” an excerpt from a story about my great grandmother and her dog that went to church with her every Sunday.  An unspoken connection with animals has been passed down my family line.  I have had the pleasure of animals in my life since the day I was born and haven’t gone one day since without. I can’t imagine a day without their unconditional love and companionship.

Veterinary school was not my chosen path but it definitely taught me more than I could have ever imagined.  As a veterinarian, I enjoy the good days but the bad days can be almost unbearable.  The first bad day was one month after starting my first job as an official doctor.  I walked into an exam room and saw a fragile crouched elderly woman sitting on the bench, her fluffy red companion at her side.  MaryAnn had brought her sweet dog, Ginger, in because she was not acting normal.  Bloodwork showed that Ginger was in liver failure.  When I broke the news to MaryAnn, the tears immediately started falling.  I had single handedly broken this gentle woman’s heart, which in turn broke mine.

MaryAnn had lost her husband years prior. Ginger was her only companion so she decided to do everything in her power to prolong Ginger’s life and keep her comfortable.  Thousands of dollars and five weeks later, Ginger passed away.  MaryAnn knew it was inevitable but five weeks was just enough time for her to say good-bye to her beloved companion.  Needless to say, MaryAnn was devastated.  Once waking up to a sweet furry face every day, she now had to go through life alone.

I began having lunch daily with MaryAnn at her home.  Never having a daughter of her own, we quickly became very close.  I started bringing my own dog, Remington, to our lunch dates.  Remi and MaryAnn hit it off immediately.  Eventually, I started dropping Remi off before work and picking her up afterwards.  MaryAnn and Remi’s relationship flourished during the next two years until I was faced with an international relocation.  I offered to find MaryAnn a compatible pet of her own but she consistently denied my offer, stating that she was not sure she could care for a pet appropriately.  Even more concerning to her was what would happen to her new companion if she could no longer care for or keep the pet.  It broke my heart to, yet again, be responsible for the flurry of emotions MaryAnn was left to deal with; sadness, loneliness, emptiness and hopelessness.

I have since moved back to the states and set up a new home in Austin.  I have visited MaryAnn since returning and she still denies my offer to find her a companion.  She is lonely and empty.  I want nothing more than to help fill those holes.  The golden years should be a time of happiness, reflection and peace but all too often, the elderly get neglected due to the busy schedule of our own lives.  My dream is to change that for as many senior citizens as possible.  I want to make the last years of their lives ones filled with love, smiles, warmth and unconditional love.  What better way to do this than to provide a constant companion?

I founded GingerCare in 2014 to fulfill this dream.  I will be finding clients, senior citizens, and interviewing them to find out what kind of companion they want and will fit best into their life.  I will then adopt and give them this companion, all the while taking care of all pet related costs, including food, toys, litter, and medical care.  I will check in on them regularly and will always be on call if they ever need anything.  If something were to happen to the client and they could no longer keep their companion, then the pet comes back to GingerCare where it will be placed in a new loving home.  Everyone deserves unconditional love and companionship, especially during their golden years.  I dream of a day where I can spend my time providing that joy to people’s lives.

-Linzi Newth

Join us this Saturday {May 9} for our Spring Cleaning Competition benefiting GingerCare. Proceeds from registrations along with Donations will be going to Linzi and her non-profit to aid in her efforts.

The last day to register for Spring Cleaning is Thursday, May 7. Find our more about Spring Cleaning {Here}