The doorbell rings in Amsterdam-North. Bo, Marians chihuahua, wags his tail as he rushes into the hallway. Thanks to Lisette, he can take a nice walk. Marian: “Due to my lung problems, I can no longer manage that. Without help, I couldnt have kept Bo.”

4 years ago, Marian found her Bo through Marktplaats. “I thought: great, what a good little guy. I was so happy with him and still am.” But after the death of her husband, she developed serious lung problems. “I have a chronic lung condition and later it turned out that I had COPD. Then came 4 lung infections and long COVID on top of that. My lungs took such a beating that I could walk less and less with Bo. I found that so sad.”

Through the neighborhood team, she heard about Animal Buddy. “I didnt know such a thing existed.” Since then, volunteers have been helping. “Lisette comes once a week, Kelly too. That is really a support for me. It would be even better if a third buddy came along, but Im already happy with how it is going now.”

Walking for half an hour every week

Lisette knew about Animal Buddy through her sister. “I often recommended it to others, but hadn’t done it myself yet.” One day she discussed it with her work. “They were enthusiastic, and then I signed up.”

That was arranged through the website. “I work in North and they are looking for extra people there. Perfect.” They first checked if there was a connection between Marian, Lisette, and Bo, and shortly thereafter she could start. “A week later, I took my first walk. Now I walk with him almost every week for half an hour.”

Small effort, big impact

For Lisette, it’s about something small that means a lot. “It’s nice to be able to help someone. If you have a difficult workday and you still helped someone for half an hour, your day feels a lot better. And of course, I also enjoy being able to walk with a dog occasionally, I just find that very fun.”

Her work encourages it too. “My work gives us a lot of freedom for that. I would really recommend that to every employer, because it’s super good for your concentration and health to be outside for half an hour. I’ve never done less work because I went for a walk with Bo.”

Help that counts

For Marian, the walks make the difference between keeping or saying goodbye. “For me, the morning is the hardest. Then I am short of breath and have little strength. Without help, I wouldnt have made it. I couldnt have kept Bo.”

She sees how Bo wins everyone’s heart. “He’s a cuddly, friendly little guy. People on the street love him because he always wags his tail at everyone.” Lisette enjoys it too. “Bo is the first Chihuahua I’ve ever met, a very funny little creature. We sometimes call him ‘the rat’ at work, but he is super sweet.”

Marian recommends everyone to become an Animal Buddy: “You help someone, you help an animal, and you get to be outside yourself. Especially for people who might be struggling or have little to do at home: go walk with a dog. You’ll feel better and the little dog will be happy.”

Want to become an Animal Buddy?

With Animal Buddies from the Animal Protection, elderly people and those who are chronically ill can keep their pets. Volunteers provide free and regular help with care, such as walking the dog, cleaning the litter box, or going to the vet.

Do you want to become an Animal Buddy yourself, or are you looking for support from an Animal Buddy? Then visit the website of the Animal Protection. Or email to dierenbuddy@dierenbescherming.nl.

Other forms of support

On October 4th, it’s Animal Day: the moment to reflect more on our pets. Besides the help from Animal Buddies, there are many more ways in Amsterdam to get support for caring for your animal. From discounts at the vet to practical support. We’ll list the options for you: