Volume 23 - 4th Quarter - Oct | Nov | Dec 2025 | |
A quarterly newsletter for PPOC members and friends!
Read on to find out more about who we are, what we do, and how you can join us
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Pet Partners of the Oregon Coast (PPOC), formerly known as Oregon Coast Therapy Animals, is a Community Partner of Pet Partners. A leading non-profit in the field of animal-assisted therapy for over four decades, Pet Partners registers therapy dogs and other animal companions, including horses, cats, rabbits, and birds.
Our visiting teams provide support, comfort and companionship to adults and children in institutional settings on the Central Oregon Coast, from Neskowin to Florence.
We welcome new members and opportunities to be of service to our coastal communities!
Contact us if you would like more information about arranging for a visiting team, or becoming a registered team with your animal companion!
| | PPOC October 18, 2025 Evaluations | | |
It takes a village to host a Pet Partners evaluation.
Back row starting on the right:
Evaluator-John, Evaluation Assistants- Michelle, Lee, Ken and Linda
Front row: Evaluation coordinator-Bonnie
Neutral Dog team-Stacey & Chica
| | Stacey and Chica were the stars at the Evaluation as the Neutral Dog team. | | Trina and Pepper new registered team | | | |
Katharine and Toby
A special congratulations to Katharine and Toby for successfully passing their 2nd evaluation to continue their valuable therapy visits at the North Lincoln Samaritan Hospital in Lincoln City, Oregon.
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St. Francis of Assisi
Patron Saint of Animals
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Looks like this client has found the best spot for scratches.
(clients have given their permission to use this photo)
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Say hello to Pet Partners team Terrie and Kizzy. Kizzy is an
8-yr old standard poodle. They became a registered Pet Partners team in October, 2024. They live in Corvallis, Oregon and are currently making visits at Regency Recovery Center in Corvallis. From looking at these pictures of visits, Kizzy is enjoying her visits with these clients.
| | Kizzy is very attentive with client as to not miss a word of their conversation. (clients have given their permission to use this photo) | |
Merry Christmas from our Therapy Animals
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Animal-Assisted Crisis Response (AACR)
is a form of animal-assisted activity (AAA) that provides comfort to people affected by natural, human-caused, or technological disasters. AACR does not replace professional counselors or medical staff.
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Do you have the desire to be a
Pet Partner Team Evaluator!
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We are always looking for new team evaluators! Most team evaluator candidates will be current Pet Partners therapy animal handlers. Current handlers interested in becoming evaluators can lean more in the GET INVOLVED section of the Volunteer page.
In some cases, Pet Partners will license team evaluators who are not handlers but have particular experience and interest in the team evaluator rol, particularly in geographic areas of need (example: Oregon Coast) Please get in touch with Pet Partners to discuss.
| | | | Relaxation Protocol for Dogs | | |
Is there a universal language of love, a Kinship With All Life that can open new horizons of experience?
Example after example in this unique classic -- from "Strongheart" the actor-dog to "Freddie" the fly -- resounds with entertaining and inspiring proof that communication with animals is a wonderful, indisputable fact. All that is required is an attitude of openness, friendliness, humility, and a sense of humor to part the curtain and form bonds of real friendship.
For anyone who loves animals, for all those who have ever experienced the special devotion only a pet can bring, Kinship With All Life is an unqualified delight. Sample these pages and you will never encounter "just a dog" again, but rather a fellow member of nature's own family.
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In 2007, Mary Eldergill, a volunteer member of Amigos de Los Animales (Friends of the Animals), discovered a group of newborn puppies on Dead Dog Beach in Puerto Rico. Mary rescued and rehabilitated them and, three months later, they flew to Newark, New Jersey, to be placed in their forever homes.
Jean Baur and her husband adopted one of Mary’s rescues a dog named Bella and opened her Pennsylvania home to her new best friend. Just as Jean enrolled Bella in certified therapy-dog classes, she lost her job at the age of sixty-five. This new work, visiting hospital patients with her therapy job, gave Jean hope and a new purpose in life.
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Current Board Members
President - Dr. Caroline Spark, PHD
Vice President - Katharine Harding
Treasurer - Lee Derbyshire
Secretary - Erica Fruh
Lindee Cunningham
Dr. Claire Lohn, DVM
Executive Director - Bonnie Rimola
About our Board Members
Board Meeting Schedule
1st Qtr 2025 Business - Apr 14, 2025
2nd Qtr 2025 Business - July 14, 2025
3rd Qtr 2025 Business - Oct 13, 2025
4th Qtr 2025 Business - Jan 12, 2026
Volunteer Opportunities
If you are interested in finding out about opportunities for serving on the PPOC Board or volunteering your skills and talents in other ways.
please email Bonnie Rimola at oregoncoasttherapyanimals@gmail.com
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Board Position Available
Share your financial skills and love of animals
Treasurer
SEND YOUR RESUME TO:
oregoncoasttherapyanimals@gmail.com
| | Pet Partners of the Oregon Coast recommends Instinct Dog Training | | | |
Pick of the Litter Thrift Store- the place to find gentle used toys for your pet.
The flagship of FOLCAS’s fundraising operations is the Pick of the Litter thrift store, opened in July 2009 in a building on the County Commons in Newport. Thanks to our ever-growing ranks of donors, shoppers, and volunteers, Pick of the Litter quickly became a thriving success, filled with with terrific bargains and fabulous finds, with new items every day.
After a five-month hiatus beginning in mid-March 2020 as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, Pick of the Litter reopened on August 27, at our new
location at NE First & Fogarty.
All proceeds benefit both the Animal Shelter and FOLCAS programs to assist domesticated animals in Lincoln County.
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Non-Team members are important to the success of Pet Partners of the Oregon Coast. Your knowledge, talents and time are valuable assets needed to volunteer in the background operations of our group. If you are interested, contact us by email to become one of our many supporters. | |
You’ve felt it yourself—the undeniable boost you feel when you’re with your animal companion. PPOC volunteer teams share this gift with others, by bringing joy and improved outcomes to people in hospitals, schools, libraries, detention centers, court houses, assisted-living facilities and other community settings.
We’d love to have you join us. We'll help you get started and support you along the way.
| | Support Pet Partners with a Donation to honor or in memory of a loved one. | |
Did you know you can support Pet Partners with your donation in honor of a special loved one or in memory of that therapy dog that visited you during a hospital stay? Visit the Pet Partners website to donate today. | |
Do you have a question on a topic that would be of interest to our readership? Or a story? An idea for an article? A photo of your pet partner? Feedback on this newsletter?
Please don't hold back! And if writing isn't your thing, we can help. The work and the heart of our teams are what we want to feature. Help us make this newsletter a full reflection of the wonderful work of Pet Partners of Oregon Coast! And please forward to anyone who might be interested Thanks!
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