Art of Aging: PACT for Animals fostering service

GLADWYNE, Pa. -- Medical emergencies and military deployments can disrupt the bonds we have with our pets.

Now, a retired senior is trying to save those relationships despite challenging circumstances.

After putting in 30 years as a real estate and business lawyer, Buzz Miller had his "is that all there is?" moment and decided his next act would be different.

"I said to my wife, 'I don't want to do this anymore. I know what I really want to do, I am all about the human-animal bond.'," he recalled.

And so Buzz founded PACT for Animals, a service that provides temporary foster care for members of the military and others in emergency situations.

"I can't stand the thought of a young military person going over to Iraq or fighting ISIS and they have to give up their animal. I can't stand the thought of a kid fighting cancer or heart problems at CHOP, and he's going to lose his animal," he said.

The service provides peace of mind for pet owners but the act of kindness also benefits the families who foster the animal.

"I love it because you're helping someone. I tell the kids every day, we're baby sitters. They are thrilled to death that they are able to help. When you see the reunion, it's worth every tear," said Donna Masusock from Winona, New Jersey.

Miller suggests pet fostering might be the perfect thing for seniors.

"The best overall foster relations we've had have been people primarily 55 on. know where they're going in life. They wanna do something to help somebody else," he said.

PACT provides resources for both the foster families and the owners, ensuring a successful relationship is created and maintained throughout the process.

"We're constantly, you know, messaging each other and Facebooking and whatever we can do to keep in contact with pictures and videos just to see how everyone is doing," said Masusock.

It's a win-win for all parties involved.

"I'm really grateful. Bandit pretty much saved my life when I got him so just uh I was stuck, I didn't know what to do, so I'm exceptionally grateful for this," said military member, Michael King.

For more information on PACT for Animals, CLICK HERE.

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