Companions (1982)

[Music] Animals are just part of life if you've been brought up with them. Uh they're just a natural sort of addition to the family. If you've had animals all your life, you don't you don't think of them as anything but just an extension of family living. The society started this program of visiting senior citizens nursing homes in November of 1980. It was brought about originally by the fact that I'd seen on TV from the United States similar projects run by organizations such as Humane Society down in the States. And uh I had talked to our managing director about it and we had thought about starting this program up and by sheer coincidence at that particular time we received a call from a young lady who was a director of activities in a local nursing home and uh she asked us if we were running any program like this and we said no we weren't but we were we were strongly thinking about it so we decided to um start uh such a programs. [Music] I know before they had such stringent laws. I used to take an animal whenever I went to visit in the home and I didn't have to speak. I just entered and everybody converged on me and I, you know, I was practically knocked down in the rush for the dog. So that now they when I see no pets on the door of these homes, I really worry. Who wants the big puppy to hold? You want to hold the pup? These people are now at the stage where they're in a home and I think they miss them. I think that plan of the animals coming to visit them, it's just terrific. I don't want to kiss. I don't want to kiss him. No, you don't want to kiss him. Oh my god. You lick my fingers. Baby, don't baby. I have to hold you. Oh, yeah. Oh, yes. You can play. No, I was talking to you. your chair and he would call you all over the building. [Music] down. No, I don't need Just to hold an animal reminds you of so much. Older people miss them so much because they're part of home, especially as you get a lot of country people in homes. I loved horses and I loved all animals. Oh, yeah. I had dogs. They were big. Scotch collie was a farmer. Farm without a dog. Lady lady. She's just the same as my lady. I like animals. Was born in the farm. I was farmer all my life. Now, we never had a cat that color, did we? No. We went in for black cats, did Edward? And then the other one we had was Lawrence Tibbitz cuz he sang so well. He's purring. I hear you. I hear you blondie. You're blondie. One home did it and something happened in the home. It became much more alive. diagram. He's comfortable there. If I was home, I would bring him with me. [Music] Well, it's a very lost feeling, I know, between animals, and this often happens when one dies, you feel totally lost when you come home. Part of the life has gone out of the house because they're always so pleased to see you, even if you've just gone to the corner grocery store. And uh there isn't that enthusiasm. The house is quiet and uh you really miss it. It's much more than TV or radio or anything else. It's a living thing that is happy to see you and it makes all the difference in the world. [Music] The more I hear about apartment living, it seems that you're more separated from your neighbor than even when you're living in a house because you protect your own privacy and therefore when you come home, you're not coming home to anything. The 4:00 and 5:00 returns are pretty dreary in the winter. Without an animal at the other end to say, "Hello, boy. I'm glad you're back. [Music] Yeah. One uh old lady was very keen about her dog and her nephew took him when she had to go into the home and she couldn't come out to see the dog. So, uh, he decided that he would get that dog in no matter what. So, he pretended he was blind and they never knew he could see all the time he visited his aunt and, um, he would come in with the dog following the dog. He wasn't seeing eye dog at all. He was just anxious to see his mistress. And so, in they went and they had a lovely time. And then out out they came again. And so, she was happy to know the dog was all right. The other day I met Lever and Shirley and they were two of the plainest cats I've ever seen and they were wearing colors and they were walking down the hall of a home and they were having a pancake party and Shirley Leverne and Shirley were as much a part of that party as the people were and you know everybody was looked so pleased to see them and they looked pleased with themselves and it's really very nice to see that happen. It wouldn't have happened two years ago. Go and visit Going to You're going to be a big lad, aren't you? Yeah. Going to be big, eh? Look at the pores on you. Look. You're going to be big big lad. Yeah. Yes. Are you lonesome? Oh, you better stay here with me. You better stay for a minute. You better stay for a minute. There you are. There you are. boy. Boy, daughter. He's a real cute one, right? Yeah. There you are. [Music] I back off it. I always back this in England. We got no track racing in England. We got over the sticks as we call left over the jumps and we got the ordinary flat racing. But I raced all my life. I used to race put my winners out when I was good at school. And so I thought for a bit of fun I'd do them here and um that quite loosers in a second yesterday. I seem to just have um flare for picking the horses or something. I think the first off I first money I had off of them was $68. Oh yeah, that was a bit of fun to break them in your life, couldn't it? Oh, I brush her every morning, don't we? Sue bush her coma. Yeah. Oh, she's a proper little powder pupp. Keep her clean. That's the main thing. Keep her clean. Yeah. [Music] I don't think there's anything nicer than having an animal to come home to because people say that uh you know the evening and the nighttime are the hardest when there's nobody there and an animal can help fill that void. The comfort of of being loved, whether you're good, bad, or indifferent, is really amazing. Animals never judge. They just accept. [Music] Hey there. Oh, they're so sweet. [Music] I know another woman who wanted to see her dog before she died and they wouldn't let it in the door to go to the bed. And I think that's a crime, but it shouldn't happen. It shouldn't have to happen. [Music] Hello