1 in 5 Canadians with AIDS are between the ages of 20 and 29. They hope that by speaking out publicly about their experiences, it will help put a human face to the disease, and hopefully they can prevent other people from contracting it. This week's Mission takes our MJ Coura to PAWS - Pets are Wonderful Support . An organization which originated in California, several Toronto vets are trying to start up a branch in Canada. The vets believe that it is important for people with HIV or AIDS and who have pets, to be able to keep and care for their animals, regardless of how ill they may be.
Pets reduce the stress in their lives because they give their owners unconditional love.
Stress can often affect the immune system, so it's important that it is always kept at a minimum. Right now, PAWS offers volunteers who will pick up pets and bring them to the vet if their owners are too sick to bring them on their own, and volunteers will drop off pet food to the house, and participating vets will offer discounts for their services. PAWS hopes to one day have volunteers go into homes to care for pets as well i.e. feed, clean and walk them if their owners can't. This is the 2nd year for the program. It continued this year because it was felt teens still associate the virus with gay white males, but in reality, teens are the fastest growing group contracting the disease. .