Who wouldn’t like to have a soft, furry animal that didn’t need to be walked, fed, or cleaned up after?

That’s what Jewish War Veterans Copper State 619 members had in mind when they started raising funds biannually in its poppy campaigns at Fry’s grocery stores.

That fundraising has helped JWV 619, based in Sun Lakes, near Chandler, be able to provide about $3,500 worth of robotic pets for Phoenix VA Medical Center dementia patients, according to a news release.

A yearly budget has been set aside to purchase robotic pets, which are specifically designed for use by Recreation Therapists in the hospital when working with dementia patients.

They are designed to look and act like animals that are commonly kept as pets, the release states. JWV recently presented the hospital staff with six Joy for All robotic dogs, five Joy for All cats, 10 “Squawker Walker” birds that attach to walkers and sing to encourage walking, two Perfect Petzzz and three pet carriers.

The group will continue to supply additional pets throughout the year, as veterans are allowed to keep their “pets” after discharge.

The Caring for Older Adults and Caregivers at Home VA program, or COACH, comprised of nursing staff and social workers who keep veterans at home as long as possible, also uses robotic pets when visiting vets with dementia.

They encourage their caregivers — often spouses — to use the pets as a distraction when they need to leave veterans by themselves for a while.

A pet can provide a variety of health benefits, including reduced blood pressure, cholesterol, and loneliness as well as boosting exercise and socialization opportunities, the release states. Studies show that a robot pet can also have the same health benefits.

Researchers at Auckland University, New Zealand, found a robot companion could offer benefit to older adults like living animals, especially in improving the mental well-being and living standards, the release states.

According to studies by the VA which began using robotic pets during the COVID-19 pandemic, in North Carolina, robotic pets at the Salisbury VA Community Living Center “have brought comfort, connection and therapeutic benefits to veterans with memory loss, dementia and depression,” the VA reported in 2022.

“Patients tend to calm down when they have someone or something to nurture.”

JWV poppy volunteers are needed only twice a year for a three-hour period to sit in front of an East Valley Fry’s grocery and accept contributions that allow Post 619 to provide donations like these.

Post 619, which meets the third Sunday of every month from September to June, boasts members who represent a wide range of religious affiliations and participates in philanthropic activities to help veterans of all faiths.

To learn more about JWV activities and membership, contact Arthur Uram at 702-884-4175 or uramarthur@gmail.com.

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