Assisted Living Pet-Friendly Retirement Communities in Dayton, Ohio 2/24/2015 | By Terri L. Jones When You Move to Many Dayton-Area Retirement Communities, Pack Up Your Pets, Too! These days, more and more retirement communities are recognizing the value of pets in seniors’ lives, and conversely, how leaving furry friends behind can make the move even harder for prospective residents. For that reason, many communities in the Dayton area are encouraging residents to pack up their dogs and cats as well as other pets (Bethany Village in Dayton even allows cats and fish) and move their animals right along with them! Click Here to learn more about Bethany Village Good for your health. “We strongly believe in the life-affirming power of pets,” says Holiday Retirement on its website. (Holiday Retirement owns Laurelwood in Dayton.) Having a pet can actually extend your life, lowering blood pressure, cholesterol and triglyceride levels; protecting against heart disease and stroke; and motivating an increased level of exercise. Emotional benefits, too. If you have a pet, you know how a simple scratch can turn a bad mood into a good one. And animals are also great company when you’re feeling lonely. A pet can even be a great tool for meeting companions of the human variety—that cute little dog or cat will open many a conversation with other animal lovers and create valuable connections. Plus, caring for a pet can give you the purpose that you may feel you’ve lost in your life. All the benefits without the responsibility. You may even find a community pet or two at some communities in the Dayton area. These dogs or cats, who are owned by the community, are available for you to pet, play catch and share a lap with. You can even help care for these community pets, if you so choose. Other communities like Bethany Village in Dayton participate in pet therapy programs, where trained pets are brought into the community for the simple purpose of boosting residents’ spirits. “The pets do a lot,” volunteer Carol Farrell explains. “They put lots of smiles on faces.” Know the rules. A community’s website may say that it is “pet-friendly” but upfront usually provides few details beyond that. For example, LanePark of Huber Heights explains that cats and dogs are allowed but to ask a representative about the rules and size limitations, and The Wellington at Dayton promotes that small pets are welcome. Although more and more communities are opening their doors to pets, it’s up to you to dig a little further to determine the rules and regs, like how many pets you can have, how big they can be, and if they draw the line at dogs and cats (fish, birds, hamsters, turtles?). Plus, you’ll want to find out about all the rules you’ll need to follow once you’re living there. Let us know how pets have improved your quality of life! Read More Terri L. Jones Terri L. Jones has been writing educational and informative topics for the senior industry for over ten years, and is a frequent and longtime contributor to Seniors Guide.