Meals on Wheels Provides Veterinary Care for Richmond Hill Cat

At 81 years of age, Duane Green never expected to be rescued by a gray and white cat he calls Bootsie. But that’s exactly what happened five years ago when she kept showing up at his Richmond Hill home. The Montana native ended up adopting her, and her presence is a calming force in his life. 

“Bootsie is his world,” says Kris Elliott, who acts as Mr. Green’s caregiver. “If he doesn’t see her, he panics. But when she’s with him, she reassures him that everything is okay.”

Another thing that reassures Mr. Green is his Meals on Wheels delivery. He’s been receiving meals for a year and a half now, and it’s especially helped him maintain his weight and improve his cholesterol, according to Elliott.

“He doesn’t always eat like he’s supposed to, so having regular, nutritious meals helps with that too,” she says.

Meals on Wheels has even helped provide Bootsie with vaccinations, cat food, and litter. The Meals on Wheels Loves Pets grant program, supported by PetSmart Charities, funds veterinary care for Meals on Wheels clients.

“It’s great that Meals on Wheels can take care of him, but also his beloved pet,” says Elliott. “It means so much.”