TAVARES, Fla. — A Lake County hospice recently marked 10 years of helping patients and pets stay together.

That companionship proves to be invaluable to patients, at the end of their lives.

Lisa Gray adopted Scrat just a few months ago, but the dog quickly became an important member of her family.

“He loves to get into stuff, he loves to get into trouble, he loves to play and then he’ll turn right around and just snuggle,” said Gray, coordinator for Cornerstone Hospices’ Pet Peace of Mind program.

Gray lost her dog Faith a year ago. When she met Scrat, she couldn’t believe the resemblance.

“I walked up on the porch and I saw Scrat barking when I went to meet his dad, and it’s like, ‘Oh my gosh, he looks so much like my baby girl Faith’,” Gray said. “It was love at first sight.”  

They were brought together through the Pet Peace of Mind program at Cornerstone Hospice in Tavares. 

“If you’ve been sick and you can’t afford food or you can’t afford a vet, or you haven’t been able to get them to the vet to have their nails trimmed, we have volunteers that go out and transport pets, they walk dogs, clean litter boxes,” Gray said.

The volunteer-run program provides Cornerstone patients like Ronnie help and visits with pets, and also a plan for the animals' future home once the owner is gone.

“His short little legs would run down the hall as fast as he could, and Ronnie would bend over, just a little wiggling Scrat, jumping up, kissing him in the face,” Gray said. “The joy on Ronnie’s face when Scrat was there wiggling on his lap was priceless.”

According to the Lake County Animal Shelter, they took in 124 animals last year because of hospitalizations or owner deaths. So far this year, they’ve taken in 81, which includes a 15% increase because of the owner being hospitalized over the same time period last year. That’s one reason Gray advises having an advanced directive for your pet.

“Regardless of your age, regardless of your health condition, everybody should make a plan for their pet,” Gray said. “None of us know what tomorrow will bring.”

Ronnie recently died, and even though Gray said she’s heartbroken, she’s also grateful for the time they had together, to transition her companion to his new home.

“I’ve cried a lot of tears, but I also know that from beginning to end, it went exactly the way it should go,” Gray said. “And that’s what I want for all of our patients, is for them to have a plan, be at peace and know that their baby is going to be cared for.”

Cornerstone Pet Peace of Mind relies on donations to fund the program, and they’re always looking for volunteers or potential pet owners.