Since moving into aged care in Clayton, Estelle Kenny, 65, says that her room has become the busiest in the entire complex.

And there is one small and furry reason for that.

Despite having not one, but two beds filled with her favourite toys, Amber, the toffee-coloured, diabetic cavoodle known affectionately as ‘Ambi’, hops up onto Kenny’s bed to snuggle into her favourite spot; draped over mum’s lap.

“I couldn’t see myself leaving home without her,” Kenny says.

Currently awaiting surgery and facing months of rehabilitation, Kenny says finding a pet friendly home was like having all her Christmases come at once.

“I am so lucky to have Ambi, with her I can’t really say that I am ever homesick.”

It is no secret that Australians love pets.

With one of the highest national rates of pet ownership in the world, 69 per cent of Australian households are home to an animal companion, according to Animal Medicines Australia (AMA).

Despite this, many of Australia’s affordable-rentals, transport, and public spaces are not pet friendly.

This contradiction is profoundly felt in the aged care sector, where only 18 per cent of Australian aged care homes consider letting their residents keep their furry, feathered, or scaled loved ones with them when they move in, according to a 2023 survey conducted by Companion Animal Network Australia (CANA).

CANA CEO Trish Ennis says elderly Australians are currently being forced into a heart-wrenching dilemma.

They can either risk their own health to stay at home or give up the pets they love to a shelter where they could be put down if not re-adopted.

“A lot of them are on their own. So, without their pet, a lot of people won’t go into nursing homes or even to hospital, because they haven’t got anyone to leave their pet with,” says Ennis.

Elderly pet owners moving into residential care account for 7% of animal surrenders to Australian shelters, around 380 pets a year, according to a report by the Animal Welfare League Australia (AWLA).

CANA is currently lobbying the Australian government to include pet care into proposed amendments to the Aged Care Act, which had been due last month, but are now delayed until July 2025.

Ennis says the campaign aims to prevent the devastating emotional harm caused when elderly Australians are forced to relinquish their pets.

It is a terrible final resort, with the potential loss of a pet only adding to the already traumatic transition into aged care.

If there is anyone who understands this, it is the general manager of the home where Estelle Kenny and Ambi now live, Bupa Clayton’s Patrick Cullen and his “assistant”, nine-year-old Irish Terrier, Roxy.

“I think having her here turns it into more of a home,” says Cullen, interrupted by soft snores from Roxy, napping under the table in his office.

“We need to move away from that medical style. This is their home. So, we should be able to cater for having that domestic style atmosphere.”

Cullen adopted Roxy two years ago after a resident and Roxy’s previous owner, Kate, passed away from pancreatic cancer.

Having bonded over their shared love of Irish Terriers, Kate’s family gave permission for Cullen to take Roxy when they were unable to adopt her.

“We were both like, this has happened for a reason,” says Cullen.

Today, Roxy is BUPA Clayton’s beloved mascot.

With a tail that never stops wagging, and a calm and soulful personality, Roxy is often spotted travelling up and down the facility’s elevator.

“It’s a really good circuit breaker,” says Cullen. “If someone’s been having a hard time; aggressive, agitated, and they’re in that fixed concrete state. We walk Roxy up to them and suddenly, boom. They just stop, they redirect their attention, and they’re calm. It’s always a positive reaction.”

Countless studies have revealed the physical and mental health benefits of animal companionship.

Where one third of elderly people living in aged care are socially isolated, according to Aged Care Research and Industry Innovation Australia (ARIIA), companion animals offer a source of stability, and enrichment.

In Cranbourne West, David Ward says his 13-year-old tortoiseshell cat Cricket helps him stick to a strict daily routine.

“They boss you, cats,” Ward laughs as a pair of sharp green eyes peer out from the curtains by his feet, an occasional cautionary meow reminding visitors of her presence.

“What’s the old saying? Dogs have masters, cats have servants”.

Ward and Cricket first moved into Lifeview’s Willow Wood residence in 2018 to oversee care for his late wife,  Charmaine.

Samantha Jewell, CEO of Lifeview Residential Homes, says being pet friendly is all part of the home’s resident-first model.

“It keeps them that little bit more independent. So, if it means you get up to walk your dog, to pet your cat … You’re moving, you’re using your mind. And you continue that bond. And that’s great for mental health.”

While residential homes may be hesitant to introduce pet care, concerned with placing additional burdens on staff who may also be from cultural backgrounds where pet ownership is less common, Cullen says that these obstacles are easily overcome.

“The benefits far outweigh any annoyance in having to coordinate it, which is very minimal,” he says.

At both BUPA and Lifeview, pet owning residents are given clear health and safety guidelines. These terms are evaluated on an individual basis and integrated into a residents’ unique care plan.

In short, a resident must be able to care for their own pet.

While staff may lend a hand, and often do, they are not responsible for any additional pet care.

A resident must be able to walk their pet and toilet it, to clean their litter boxes, feed them, and get them to appointments. Pets must also pass a vet check up admission and be up to date with their vaccinations.

Like any process for screening a new roommate, administration makes sure the home’s environment remains harmonious when introducing new pets.

This means no vicious animals, constant barking, or moving a cat in next-door to someone with a cat allergy.

In Clayton, Estelle Kenny swears that her Ambi has an extraordinary sixth sense for sensing when others need comfort.

Kenny, who has suffered from chronic pain for thirty-four years and is currently awaiting essential surgery, thanks her carers for helping her look after Ambi, who herself requires regular vet visits and daily insulin injections for her diabetes.

“You tend to forget about your own pain and put your animal first when they are in need, and they put you first when you are in need,” says Kenny.

“She helps me cope with the pain”.