Proposal Summary
The purpose of the agency is to provide emotional support for elderly people staying at nursing homes by allowing them to communicate with dogs that are no longer wanted and have been saved from the streets or euthanasia. Thus, the twofold aim that “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” it trying to achieve involves the improvement of social condition both for a specific human population group and for certain animal population.
While nonprofits with similar objectives exist, there is none that would combine these two goals. There are agencies saving animals, and there are the ones arranging meetings for patients of nursing homes and pets. What we aim to implement is a project that combines both of these intentions. The outcomes we hope to achieve are concerned with the enhanced social and emotional state of elderly patients of nursing homes along with the improved conditions for unwanted dogs in New York. If the grant is made, the funds will be allocated to several groups of needs. The needs are concerned with transportation, rent, salary, and food and medical supplies for dogs.
The most considerable part of the money will be spent on keeping the dogs: renting a place where a dog shelter will be situated, buying food, and providing them with the necessary medical supplies. Another considerable part of the budget is planned for salary for full-time and part-time employees. Finally, we will need money to cover organizational expenses, such as phone bills, postal services, and the Internet. We expect to collect some money from charity, but at the present moment, we need a grant to be able to launch the project.
Narrative
Background
The organization “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” aims to meet the problems of unwanted old dogs that need caring and that can further provide care to people staying in nursing homes and at hospitals. Thus, the project will serve both dogs and people lacking emotional support by training the former to communicate with the latter. The ultimate goal of the project’s work is to eliminate the lack of emotional support for old and unwanted dogs and for patients staying in nursing homes and at hospitals who have no one to visit them.
The services will be based in the State of New York. Race, ethnicity, sexual orientation and gender of the elderly people participating in the project will not be selective. Their age is expected to be 65-90 years old, and they should speak English (or the facility at which a non-English-speaking patient is staying should have a translator). The population will consist of people with various levels of physical ability. However, we will be cautious about letting bedridden patients participate in the program.
The organization’s activities will include searching the dogs that are considered too old for adoption, providing them with the adaptation period, training them to be emotionally supportive, and taking them to hospitals and nursing homes. The mission of “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” is to make the world better through bringing together unwanted dogs and people lacking emotional support to make both of these groups happier and encourage them to enjoy the life.
Our vision is a world of happy people and dogs that have found support in each other after having been neglected by their families or not receiving sufficient emotional support. The organization has the following values:
- commitment: we believe that only by full dedication to our mission will we gain the anticipated result;
- ethics: we act in correspondence with moral principles and will not underestimate or offend any participant of the project;
- collaboration: we intend to find useful links with various organizations that share our vision to promote the project’s successful development.
The major problem that the organization strives to solve is the lack of emotional support for people staying in nursing homes and at hospitals. Another issue, which is closely associated with the first one, is the need for providing shelter and appropriate care for unwanted old dogs. Finding a solution to these problems is highly significant since the lack of social support may result in such adverse outcomes as depression and loneliness (Liu et al. 750).
However, not only people need good care and positive communication. Animals that have been a part of somebody’s family but are no longer wanted require appropriate help, too. Thus, “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” hopes to accomplish a combined goal: enhancing the emotional state of people in nursing homes and at hospitals and giving a chance for peaceful and happy last years of life for dogs. The anticipated number of paid full-time employees is six, and the expected number of part-time staff is ten. We also suppose to have from twenty to fifty volunteers who will work on a part-time basis.
Thus, the activities will be shared and carried out both by volunteers and hired staff. We will need an administrator of the dog home and a secretary of the board and CEO who will arrange the paperwork. Other hired personnel will include a veterinarian and two or three drivers. Basically, the work will be divided into four types:
- collaborating with sponsors and finding funds for the project;
- contacting nursing homes and offering them our services;
- securing dogs from shelters where they are not wanted;
- arranging visitations of dogs to nursing homes.
The CEO and the Assistant Executive Director will be accountable for the first type of activity. Collaboration with sponsors and seeking financial support for the organization is the fundamental responsibility for nonprofit companies since their services are free of charge, and they cannot provide for themselves. Therefore, it is crucial for the most responsible members of the organization to be in constant search of money funds and operate the work in such a way that would prove to the potential sponsors that “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” is worth supporting. The reasons why the CEO and the Assistant Executive Director should do this part of work is that sponsors should know who they are collaborating with, and sending someone else to negotiate would be inconvenient and impolite.
The second set of activities concerns reaching out for nursing homes and offering them our services. This goal will also be pursued by the CEO and his assistant. Although nursing homes are designed for the convenient stay of elderly patients who do not necessarily have health problems, it is rather frequent the case that these patients have some healthcare issues. Therefore, it is highly important to manage all the paperwork and discuss the possible benefits and drawbacks of dogs’ visits to nursing homes. Such a duty can be allocated only to the CEO and his assistant since in case of any problems or complications, they will bear the responsibility.
The next function ― securing dogs from shelters where they are not wanted ― can be performed by volunteers or part-time employees. These people will go to dog shelters and ask their administration whether they have any unwanted old dogs that are treatable and whose behavior does not involve any aggression. This job can be done by volunteers who will inform the shelters’ managers about the organization’s mission and will be able to provide the necessary documentations on request. Part-time employees and volunteers can fulfill this function and report to the CEO about results.
Finally, the arrangement of dogs’ visitations to nursing homes will be arranged by part-time workers and volunteers. We will create a schedule that will be accessible to all employees and volunteers so that they can pick the dates that are the most suitable for them. To perform this part of work, drivers will also be engaged. The dogs will be taken to nursing homes in special carriers placed in a truck. The veterinarian will make sure that all the animals can be transported and that they do not present any harm to people.
The number of dogs and other pets varies between the U.S. states. According to 2012 statistics, New York State belongs to those with the fewest pet-owning and dog-owning households: 50.6% and 29%, respectively (“U.S. States with the Most and Fewest Pet Owners”). However, the City of New York boasts different statistics: according to data provided by the Economic Development Corporation, every seventh household in the city has at least one dog (“New York City’s Dog Population”).
In general, these numbers indicate that the citizens of New York City and State are dog-lovers. Unfortunately, these data also mean that there are many unwanted old dogs in the area. Thus, the project “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” is needed to solve the problem of these animals and simultaneously help people staying in nursing homes.
There is a variety of companies offering services similar to the ones planned by “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends.” However, none of them combines the two goals that our organization has. The first part of such companies involves the functioning of nursing homes in the State of New York. According to “NYS Nursing Home Profiles,” there are many facilities offering a range of options for their clients, such as quality of life, safety, high-quality care, preventive care, and others. On the official website of the state’s Department of Health, users can obtain information about nursing homes and even compare their features to select the most suitable one. Thus, it is possible to conclude that there are many options available for people staying in nursing homes.
Another sphere of similar companies’ work is the focus on dog shelters and programs. There are different organizations in the state that deal with rescuing animals and offering to look after old dogs if their owners cannot do it any longer. One firm even has a name similar to the current project ― it is called “Last Chance Animal Rescue.” This non-profit organization saves dogs and cats that are to be killed (Last Chance Animal Rescue).
The company relies on donations from charitable organizations and individual benefactors. The organization has successfully operated for ten years, and one of its functions is finding new homes for animals. One more project with a similar mission functioning in the State of New York is “Silver Streak Kennels.” This organization focuses its services exclusively on old dogs (Silver Streak Kennels). At “Silver Streak Kennels,” dog owners are promised that their pets will be taken good care of and will feel happy. These two kinds of organizations coincide with the mission of our project, which is providing emotional support for people in nursing homes and offering care to old dogs.
“Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” aims to cooperate with these organizations at formal and informal levels. We have contacted “Silver Streak Kennels” and asked them to share their experience on collecting money from charity organizations. Also, we asked this nonprofit and “Silver Streak Kennels” to help us predict the amount of money needed for keeping our dogs. We also reached out to three nursing homes: the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Chittenango (Chittenango, NY), Onondaga Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing (Minoa, NY), and Sunnyside Care Center (East Syracuse, NY). We discussed the possibility of bringing dogs to these organizations’ patients.
Despite the generally beneficial objectives of the mentioned organizations, they all lack the mission that “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” wants to pursue. Namely, the services offered at the state’s nursing homes and dog shelters focus only on one purpose each, while the proposed project strives to combine the two options. There are nursing homes in New York State that allow their clients either to bring pets with them or to spend time with the animals living on the territory of the facility (Thomas).
However, not all people have enough energy to look after a pet full-time. Also, some individuals may not like cats and other animals that are available in such nursing homes. Meanwhile, the advantages of having animals, particularly dogs, visiting such patients are acknowledged by specialists (Crist). Although it is also admitted that there are some risks of such visits, it is generally recognized that both animals and people are happy to communicate in such a way (Crist). Therefore, the major gap existing in the services that are currently available is the lack of a combination of two types of functions.
“Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” aims to fill in the gap existing in the available organizations. To reach this aim, the project will start with interviewing people staying in nursing homes and asking how they would feel about communicating with dogs on a regular basis. Further, it will be necessary to contact dog shelters to adopt old dogs from them and move them to the organization’s shelter. Next, announcements will have to be made in media addressed to owners of old dogs and encouraging them not to have their pets euthanized or disposed of otherwise but to bring them to the shelter. By fulfilling these functions, the organization will reach its mission and address the outlined need.
The organization will be situated in New York State in the area in close proximity to at least several nursing homes. Most likely, there will not be permanent matches of people and dogs because pets are rarely allowed in nursing homes. Thus, the rotation in dogs’ visitations will be organized in a way that will provide enough time for emotional communication. The animals will live on the organization’s premises in a specialized dog home. At this home, they will receive proper housing and food, as well as they will be provided with healthcare and hygiene services.
Funding Request
We are applying for general operating support needed for the nonprofit’s launch and operation within the first year. While we hope to raise some money from charity, considerable costs are necessary to start the preparation of our organization’s work. Before we regulate the work of “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends,” we need to make sure that we can afford rent for the whole year. Also, we need to be confident that the animals will be provided with the necessary food and medical support.
Most importantly, it is crucial to provide transportation of dogs to and from nursing homes. Thus, our non-staff resources include transportation (a car for transporting people and a van for transporting people and dogs), a space for office and dog home, a computer, dog carriers, food, medicines, and hygiene items for dogs. Other expenses include payments for Internet and phone and salary for staff members and the CEO. With these resources, “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” will be able to arrange and support its successful functioning.
All of these expenses need to be covered immediately, so we cannot rely on hypothetic charity collections at the present moment. Apart from these money allocations, preliminary arrangements should be made, which entails making phone calls, meeting managers of other organizations, and performing some research. Thus, the most considerable part of expenses should be provided at the beginning so that we will not worry that the insufficient funding might corrupt our efforts within a few weeks or months.
Thus, our organization seeks support with the larger part of funding ($400,000), and some money will be collected by us during the year in local fairs and charities. The population to be served with the money that we receive is the same as mentioned in the overall mission. These are elderly people staying at nursing homes in NY state. With the help of the grant, we will be able to implement all the activities set for “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” and make sure that our work is consistent and successful.
The organization will be directed by Giancarlo James Dell’Orto and the Assistant Executive Director Joe Smith. The anticipated length of the program is a minimum of one year. Hopefully, “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” meets the success criteria mentioned in the “Evaluation” section, and we will continue operating.
Evaluation
The measurement of the program’s success will be performed at several levels. First of all, to assess the ratio of dogs that have been saved from euthanasia, we will collect statistical data and compare it to the same periods in the past year. Such information is available from NY state websites and databases. Secondly, we will conduct a survey among the patients staying at nursing homes. A questionnaire will be developed to inquire about the changes in elderly people’s emotional state. The outcome will be regarded as positive if at least 75% of the participants report that the project has had a beneficial effect on their emotional condition.
Thirdly, a survey for nurses working with these patients will be developed to ask for their evaluation of the patients’ improvements. Next, we will measure how many users join our Facebook group, how many volunteers join us, and how many donations are made. To reach the point of success, the Facebook group should have at least 20,000 users towards the end of the year. Finally, another measurement of success will be the increased demand for our services. If at least five other nursing homes apply for our services based on positive feedback they receive from the participants, “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” will be considered as a successful project.
By the end of the funding period, we expect to achieve the following results:
- saving the lives of at least 150 dogs. In a year, we expect to save at least 150 dog lives by keeping them at our organization or arranging for them to stay with other shelters.
- improving the social and emotional support levels in NYC nursing homes. The organization anticipates arranging the regular cooperation with at least 5 nursing homes. Also, we plan to arrange occasional visits to other nursing homes with the aim of turning them into our regular partners.
- increasing the public’s awareness of social issues. With the help of social platforms, such as Facebook, we will advertise our activity and enhance citizens’ knowledge about the abandoned dogs and the lack of emotional support for elderly people staying at nursing homes.
Attachments
Financial Information
Financial Statement
Since we are only about to launch our organization, there is no financial data to present. However, to be more clear about our prospective financial needs, we launched a two-week trial with minimal funds and expenditures to prepare a preliminary financial statement.
Financial Statement November 1, 2018 ― November 15, 2018
- Beginning balance: $2,000 (Giancarlo Dell’Orto’s startup money);
- Income: $1,300;
- City support $700;
- Fundraising: $900;
- Private donations: $400
- Expenses: $2,500
- Administrative/staff: $1500;
- Transportation: $400;
- Postal services/phone bills/the Internet: $300;
- Getting two dogs from a shelter and having it checked by the vet (plus the necessary medications): $300;
- Ending balance: $800.
Operating Expense Budgets
Since the organization is new, there is no operating expense budget for the most recent fiscal year. Thus, we are providing the one for the next year.
Operating Expense Budget February 1, 2019 ― February 1, 2020.
Expected Supporters and Other Sources of Income
First of all, we expect to obtain support from this grant. With its help, we aim to cover the major part of expenses. Next, we plan to reach out for the support from New York State Governor, Andrew M. Cuomo. With his support and promotion, a considerable sum of money was allocated to dog shelters this year (“Governor Cuomo Announces”). Thus, we hope that our initiative will find his support, and that he will help us to obtain some funds for the nonprofit.
Other sources of income will include $15,000 of startup money from Giancarlo Dell’Orto (the CEO) and fundraisers that will be organized by our organization. The expected amount of money from each fundraiser is $20,000. We hope to arrange at least five of such events during the first year of functioning. The types of fundraisers will include concerts, charity dinners, sports activity events (bicycle rides, running marathons), and holiday fairs (Thanksgiving and Christmas).
Sources That We Are Soliciting For Funding and the Status of Our Proposal
Every one of the listed foundations and other sources has either the connection to our organization’s mission or the past experience of helping similar projects. We have selected two departments of the New York State Government to address since both of them pursue different goals, some of which are related to the purpose of “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends.” In particular, the Department of Health deals with healthcare issues of various populations, including elderly citizens.
For instance, the Department offers a mental health program for this population group (“Services: Health”). Also, they promote the awareness and self-management of chronic diseases. Apart from that, the Department creates community coalitions for providers (“Services: Health”). We are convinced that these and other objectives of the Department of Health can be effectively promoted with the help of our organization. We aim at relieving mental health issues and improving the emotional state of elderly people. Also, we want to make it easier for the target population’s caregivers and providers to make sure that their close ones receive sufficient mental support. Thus, we hope to build solid cooperation with this department and expect to win financial support from them.
The Department of Social Programs is also on our list of possible benefactors. The variety of services offered by this division involves some vital opportunities for elderly people. For instance, there are such programs available as federal disability benefits, health and human service benefit programs, support for people who are temporarily disabled, community action service agencies, and others. Out of these, it is crucial to emphasize the possibility to find in-home support services for the elderly (“Services: Social Programs”). We consider this aspect of the work of the Department of Social Programs to be closely associated with our mission.
However, we offer more than that: elderly people can stay in nursing homes, where they have friends of approximately the same age, and they can simultaneously receive “in-home” emotional support from the communication with dogs. Thus, we believe that this department of the New York State Government can benefit from our organization’s work. In return, we hope to obtain some financial support from it.
The other four sources we are currently soliciting are New York philanthropists known for their donations to various projects aimed at promoting health services or helping the elderly. Thus, we reached out to them in the hope that they will find our nonprofit a valuable contribution to the development of society’s acceptance and support of lonely elderly people and unprotected dogs. The first of such people is Maurice Greenberg, who is the chairman of the Starr Foundation (Ochs).
The foundation is renowned for its charitable activities in the spheres of education, the arts, culture, the environment, human needs, public policy, medicine, and healthcare. Among the recent contributions of the foundation, there is a $25 million support for the endowment of a Jewish nursing home in Riverdale, Bronx (Ochs). Taking these data into consideration, we have high hopes for the Starr Foundation to support us financially. The charity is highly interested in healthcare and pays attention to elderly citizens’ welfare, which coincides with our mission.
Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation is worth $10 billion, and the couple is famous for its philanthropic activities. The fund is largely known for the active participation in the projects concerning such spheres as the arts, education, and health (Ochs). By its prominent example, the foundation encourages charity and community service by generating awareness and suggesting guidance on the acutest social issues. The fund is primarily focused on children’s health (“Focus Areas”).
In particular, gifts to hospitals and other facilities in the New York area have been given by the foundation. Due to its support and involvement, it became possible to establish modern facilities for young patients and arrange a better access to the medical care of the highest quality. Despite the fund’s focus on children’s health, we hope that the mission and vision of “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” will inspire Mr. and Mrs. Cohen to donate some money to us. It may be an insignificant sum for them, but it will be considerable support for our agency on the way of reaching its goals.
Diller―von Furstenberg Foundation’s main focus in on parks and recreational areas. Barry Diller and his wife, Diane von Furstenberg, are considered as “a major force in parks philanthropy” (Ochs). Also, they donate money to the development of various establishments and projects related to education and the arts, as well as support nonprofit organizations. Keeping these activities in mind, it seems possible for us to obtain financial support from this fund. “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” pursues social and healthcare goals, which might be of interest for Diller-von Furstenberg Foundation. Also, our agency is of nonprofit nature, which matches the politics of these philanthropists’ views. Thus, we hope to receive a positive answer from this organization.
Finally, we addressed Jane O’Connell, the President of the Altman Foundation, as the major funder concentrated on New York City and its nonprofits. There are several reasons why we believe that the Altman Foundation might agree to support “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends.” First of all, the activity of this fund is focused on New York, which is our target location (Ochs). Secondly, the agency “touches nearly all parts of life in the city” (Ochs). Thus, it is quite possible to assume that O’Connell will get interested in our initiative. Thirdly, the foundation’s President is renowned for her help to young people. We could employ some participants of her projects in our shelter, thus becoming mutually beneficial.
At present, none of the organizations we addressed gave us their reply. Thus, the status of our proposal with each of them is pending. However, we hope for the best development of the situation. The letter asking for financial support were sent recently, and we understand that each of these sources is a busy entity with much work to do and many requests to consider. We expect to receive the replies by the middle of December.
Other Supporting Materials
The Board of Directors and Their Affiliations
- Giancarlo James Dell’Orto (CEO), lawyer at Dell’Orto and Company
- Joe Smith (Assistant Executive Director), manager at Milton Parks
- Abigail Williams, financial manager at Rocky Toys
- Ron Stermer, public relations manager, Stermer and Sons
- Linda Sky, independent consultant, RN at Manhattan Psychiatric Center
- James Fox, independent consultant, the Good Dog Foundation
- Colleen Russell, director of nursing at the Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Chittenango
- Joe Steinfeld, director of operations at Onondaga Center for Rehabilitation and Nursing
- Sara Mahony, director of admissions at Sunnyside Care Center
IRS Letter
The copy of our most recent IRS letter is not available since we are only working towards starting the work, and we do not have any financial documentation at the moment.
Resumes of Key Staff
CEO (full-time) ― Giancarlo James Dell’Orto
Dell’Orto works as a lawyer, and he is very interested in protecting the vulnerable populations. He studied at the law school of New York University and completed a management course at Manhattan Institute of Management. His professional skills in “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” include executive team leadership, collaboration arrangement, training policy development, and employee monitoring. Dell’Orto has worked at Alston & Bird for two years. Prior to that, he worked as a senior consultant at Alexis Real Estate. He has experience in coordinating the work of various departments and used to be a substitute for the chief lawyer for a month. He is reliable and punctual, and he always puts the interests of a company ahead of his own.
Assistant Executive Director (full-time) ― Joe Smith
Smith has studied administration and management at CUNY Brooklyn College in 2012-2016. He worked as a manager of a large retail store for two years where his responsibilities included staff training and policy development. Also, he was accountable for marketing and product line development. During his work at the retail store, Smith managed recruitment and staff developing initiatives. He views the excellent abilities of strategic planning and arranging team leadership as his most beneficial qualities. In “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends,” Smith will be a contact person who can make crucial decisions in case Dell’Orto is not available. He is also a member of the board, which allows him to take important decisions in the organization.
Chief Financial Officer (full-time) ― Hannah Ripley
Ripley has Lower’s Master of Science in finance from Massachusetts University (2013). She has worked as an accountant, a chief accountant, and a chief financial officer in several firms in Boston, MA. She has also participated in numerous animal protection campaigns. As a student, Ripley used to have practice at hospitals and nursing homes, where she realized that patients in long-stay care needed emotional support. Ripley is highly organized, and her skills match the organization’s goals perfectly. In “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends,” Ripley will be responsible for calculating the income and expenses, planning funds, and predicting the needed financial resources.
Veterinarian (full-time) ― Sam Ravitch
Ravitch graduated from the University of California in 2005, and she is a highly-experienced professional. She has worked for Stevens Animal Hospital in Lighthouse Point, FL, and for the Fairfax Veterinary Clinic in Fairfax, CA. Ravitch is a member of the National Association of Veterinary Technicians in America. She has great communication skills, and she is kind and compassionate. The experience gained at previous places of work will be used by Ravitch to make sure that the dogs in “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” are healthy and receive the necessary medical support. Ravitch will be one of the main actors in our organization since its major mission is to save dogs and let them serve a high purpose of providing emotional support for elderly people.
Dog shelter administrator (full-time) ― Ronna Friney
Friney received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Southern New Hampshire University in 2013. She has worked as a hotel administrator at Residence Inn by Marriott in Bronx for five years. Friney is a reliable and conscientious person who can manage different operations simultaneously. Because her responsibilities in “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” will be numerous, Friney’s experience and skills are valuable for the organization. She will be responsible for arranging data, organizing meetings, scheduling the work, and enforcing the safety policies in the shelter. Also, Friney will make sure that the necessary supplies for office and shelter are always at hand, and she will order them if needed.
Secretary of the board (part-time) ― Julia Punch
Punch has a Bachelor of Business Administration from Metropolitan College of New York. She is highly responsible and punctual, and she knows how to manage the work of people that meet on an irregular basis, each of them having a different sphere of activity. Being a secretary of the board requires much experience, skills, attention, and dedication. At her present job, Punch works as a chief secretary of an investment company manager. She realizes that working for “Last Chance for Man’s Best Friends” will require additional time to analyze the workflow and arrange the board’s meetings, but she is ready to take the challenge.
Animal care specialist (full-time) ― Alison Jasper
Jasper graduated from high school last year, and she took a summer course in animal care at North Shore Community College. She has a grooming course certificate and the three-month experience in working for a pet grooming salon. She is very caring and devoted, and she loves dogs very much. Jasper’s responsibilities in the organization will be largely focused on helping the vet. However, she will also need to take care of animals’ cleanliness and maintaining the shelter tidy. Jasper will also accompany dogs to nursing homes and make sure that they are treated well there.
The Most Recent Annual Report
Not available.
Examples of Articles
Not available.
Works Cited
Crist, Carolyn. “Pets in Nursing Homes Bring both Benefits and Risks“. Reuters. 2018. Web.
“Focus Areas.” Steven and Alexandra Cohen Foundation. n.d. Web.
“Governor Cuomo Announces Nearly $5 Million for Animal Shelters Across New York.” New York State. 2018. Web.
Last Chance Animal Rescue. Last Chance Animal Rescue, 2018. Web.
Liu, Lijun, et al. “Social Support Mediates Loneliness and Depression in Elderly People.” Journal of Health Psychology, vol. 21, no. 5, 2014, pp. 750-758.
“New York City’s Dog Population.” NYCEDC. 2017. Web.
“NYS Nursing Home Profiles.” New York State, n.d. Web.
Ochs, Alyssa. “The 15 Most Powerful People in New York Philanthropy“. Inside Philanthropy. 2015. Web.
“Services: Health.” New York State. n.d. Web.
“Services: Social Programs.” New York State. n.d. Web.
Silver Streak Kennels. Silver Streak Kennels Dog Retirement Home. n.d. Web.
“U.S. States with the Most and Fewest Pet Owners.” DogTime. n.d. Web.