The Official Ryan Newman Website

By Amy Fuhrman

Statesville Record and Landmark

For many people, their pets are full members of the family, offering an unwavering source of love and comfort. In return, owners make sure their pet receives the attention and care it needs.

But when faced with a terminal illness, providing care for a pet can become a burden, especially for patients who are also dealing with financial or mobility issues.

Now, through a joint effort of Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County and the Ryan Newman Foundation, the AniMeals program will help Hospice clients rest assured their pet is being taken care of and isn't a burden for other family members.

"So many people were feeding the animals part of their own meals to be able to keep their own animals alive," said Krissie Newman, who oversees the foundation with her husband, NASCAR driver Ryan Newman.

"Animals are therapeutic," she said. "This is a way to help people keep those pets."

Hospice helps approximately 120 patients and their families at any given time, many of whom are cared for at home, said Terri Phillips, Hospice president/CEO. As Hospice's social workers would visit clients' homes, she said, they realized that one of the main worries was what would happen to the patients' pets. Through AniMeals, free pet food will be delivered to the patients' homes.

"This is one less thing they would have to worry about," Phillips said. "(Pets) can improve quality of life for people."

Newman came up with the idea for AniMeals after learning about a similar program at the Helen Woodward Animal Center in California. After meeting with Phillips to see how Hospice could partner with the Ryan Newman Foundation, Newman said she realized it would be a perfect fit.

"Animal welfare is a huge part of our foundation," she said. "It all runs together."

AniMeals will rely on community donations to provide food for the pets. To get things started, Iams has donated a supply of pet food. Tractor Supply Co. and Southern States in Statesville, as well as PetCo in Mooresville, are placing bins for donations in their stores.

"If everybody contributes a little bit, it helps a lot of people," Newman said. "If people can't donate money or their time, at least they can donate a bag of dog or cat food."

Keeping pets in their homes, or helping to place them somewhere else, can benefit everyone, Newman said. Animal shelters are seeing an increased number of pets being given up due to the tough economic times.

"We're trying to keep those animals out our shelter system," she said.

Mindy Rice, Hospice's community outreach assistant, said she's seen first-hand how much peace of mind it can bring to a patient to know their pet is cared for.

One patient, who had suffered a severe stroke and was barely able to speak, struggled and finally managed to say 'Thank you' for help with pet food provided for her family.

"(Her pet) was the one constant in her life," Rice said. "I got to really see it's going to be a great thing."

Another benefit is that AniMeals could help more people become familiar with the services Hospice provides.

"Hopefully, it will open more doors for people to be involved locally," Rice said. "We're very fortunate to have support from the community."

Want to help?

Donations of dog and cat food and treats can be made in Statesville at Tractor Supply Co. and Southern States and in Mooresville at PetCo. In addition, monetary donations can be sent to Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County, 2347 Simonton Road, Statesville NC 28625.

Who is eligible?

Hospice & Palliative Care of Iredell County serves the entire Iredell County area. Free pet food will be delivered by Hospice volunteers to patients who have been determined to have a financial or mobility challenge.

To learn more:
Visit www.hospiceofiredell.org or www.ryannewmanfoundation.org.