Mooresville Man Channels Pet Loss Grief Into To Help For Seniors

MOORESVILLE, NC — Three weeks ago, John Jeppesen was forced to say goodbye to his beloved Louisiana Catahoula Leopard Dog, Joy.

The pair had been together for a decade, and in that time Jeppesen learned that his rescue dog with the beautiful merle coat had a funny, goofy personality, and also lived up to her agile herding dog heritage. "Hands down, she was always the fastest dog at the Mooresville Dog Park," he said.

She was affectionate, too, as he learned the day they met at the Iredell County Dog Shelter.

"I was sitting in the greeting room and she walked through the door. She took one look at me and pranced directly to me, put her paws on my leg and licked my face clean. That was it right there," he said. "She showered me with kisses the rest of our time together," he said.

"She never met a stranger and if their faces got too close, she’d give them a taste of her love. The world is a poorer place without her," he said.

Her death March 26 hit Jeppesen hard. "It was a very sad day as you can imagine," he told Patch. "Now, I want to keep Joy’s memory alive."

Jeppesen is aiming to do just that through a charitable campaign raising money to help seniors who struggle to afford vet bills.

"For many, like me, a pet is the only living creature in their homes or apartments. The need is great," he said.

Pets represent vital companionship for many seniors, and can be linked to a 21 percent reduction in doctor visits, according to Meals on Wheels America. The senior meal service said seniors with pets are 36 percent less likely to report loneliness. However, they can lead to financial hardships for devoted pet loving seniors who "more often than not" are willing to feed their pets before themselves. About half of Meals on Wheels local programs provide pet food deliveries to homebound clients, it said.

Jeppesen is hoping to take aim at that need locally by launching two "Joy's Purse" funds, at Whole Pet Veterinary Hospital in Davidson and at Pet Pilgrimage crematory in Mooresville to help pay for memorial services. The costs of cremating a pet start at about $200, according to Pet Pilgrimage.

"The funds raised will go specifically to seniors who can’t afford their vet bills and are forced to surrender their pets as a result," he said.

Want to help?
Donations for Joy's Purse may be made at the following locations:

• Whole Pet Veterinary Hospital Davidson, 704-765-1171 (donations to Joy's Purse will be added to their Hope Fund)
• Pet Pilgrimage, 704.664.5484