PAWS for People Community e-Newsletter: Late April, 2020
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Making Connections Virtually
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As the world we live in is changing rapidly, PAWS has adapted its programs to meet the needs of those we visit when we are able. For many, a visit from a gentle, loving pet has never been more wanted and needed than right now. We are in awe of our brilliant PAWS teams, who have demonstrated an amazing ability to change with the times and find new ways to share the joy of pet therapy. If there’s one silver lining to this COVID cloud, it's shown how positive our volunteers are about staying connected with those they visit. These virtual visits may not offer physical comfort, but they do provide emotional comfort to the recipients. Right now, that’s priceless.
Here are just a few of the many messages we have received over the past weeks.
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Becky Cronin and her fur babies, Katara, Robbie, and Goslar, sent a note to ChristianaCare Helen F. Graham Cancer Center and Research Institute with some pictures to let them know how much they were missing their visits with patients and staff.
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Jeannie Rial's family designed cards with their therapy pet, Kylie's picture, to send to the residents of Harrison House. Ana, a Teen member, and Jeanie wanted the residents to know that they were thinking of them.
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Michele Bickling and Zoey may be quarantined in Marathon, FL, but they found a great way to spend their time. Zoey has been Zooming with her kindergarten friends at Penn London Elementary School in West Grove, PA. She loves hearing books about cats!
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Luann D’Agostino, who visits with Goofy and Bella, made great collages of the teams who visit at the ChristianaCare facilities. They will be shown on the monitors throughout all of the ChristianaCare sites to show support for the staff working on the front lines.
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To see more stories about how PAWS is staying connected with the community, visit our
website
or
Facebook Page.
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PAWS for Reading Has Gone Virtual!
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Join a PAWS dog (or cat or bunny!) for a one-on-one virtual reading session hosted by one of our partner libraries.
Check
our website or your library's website to learn more.
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PAWS for People - Connecting Virtually
PAWS’ In-Person programs and events are suspended until the four states in our service area call an end to the current “stay at home” order.
PAWS continues to bring smiles (from a distance)!
Check out how our PAWS Pet-Therapy Teams are continuing to connect with our community on our
website
.
Our staff are continuing to work remotely.
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Paused PAWS Programs & Events
Click below to learn more about our programs and events and updates about when they will resume.
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PAWS Staff - What Are We Up To, Part 2
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Jennifer Coombs, Marketing & Communications Coordinator
Reading: Lots of Pinterest and Facebook
Playing: Crafting with my niece, annoying the pets for their photos, helping my husband on the farm
Enjoying: Extra time for fun projects
Loving: The fact that I finally mastered the art of making Iced Tea... finally!
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Laura Garver, Office Manager
Watching: Disney+, my son's 30 day Lego challenge builds, and the "nature" channel in my backyard, which is full of birds, squirrels and a big flowering tree
Reading: Comfort food recipes, gardening tips, and 4th grade 'distance learning' material
Playing: 'Quarantine classic rock classic,' various board games, and the daily "Are the cats in or out?" game
Enjoying: Cooking/baking, taking nature walks, and extra quality time with Sammy
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Kate Rosenthal, Volunteer & Site Manager
Watching: Fleabag, Anne with An E, and family movie picks
Just Finished Reading:
Jettsetters by Amanda Eyre Ward
Just Started Reading:
Talking to Strangers by Malcom Gladwell
Enjoying: Cooking with my kids, taking lots of walks & exercising, coloring, and playing games with my family
Playing: Scrabble, Backgammon, Rummy 500 ,and Uno Spin
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Debbie Christian, Administrative Assistant
Watching: Movies
Reading: Several books by Dorothea Benton Frank
Playing: Card games
Loving: Hanging out with my family and cats and taking walks
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Did you know…
...we revised PAWS for Reading to engage a younger audience (pre-readers) after a member suggested the idea! PAWS teams who want to work with preschoolers first take our PreK PAWS class to learn about the various activities we have developed and how to engage their therapy companions in the fun. Our PreK PAWS activities are each tied to literacy benchmarks outlined by the State of Delaware. Working one-on-one, PAWS teams helps kids move seamlessly to the world of PAWS for Reading.
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Pets and Plants – A Veggie Tail
During this time of self-quarantine, gardening is an accepted form of social distancing that gets you outside and gives you a sense of purpose. Combine this with the rising popularity of Farm to Table and you might be inspired to plant your own veggie patch! Why not take it one step further by planting a garden that both you and your pet can enjoy!
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Ready, Set, Grow? There are lots of veggies that your dog or cat can snack on either raw or baked into treats. Several options include asparagus, broccoli, carrots, celery, cucumbers, green beans, peas, spinach and zucchini. Vegetable soup anyone?
Just a sec … there are a couple of things to keep in mind while planning your pet friendly veggie garden.
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Ready, Set, Eat? Some vegetables can be toxic to pets when they are raw or not ripe. Unripened tomatoes are not good for pets, however, ripe tomatoes are fine. Also, potatoes are fine when cooked, but raw taters can be an issue for your dog or cat.
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What are you feeding your garden? For many pets, fertilizers are delicious! It’s best to avoid the synthetic kind, but even organic soil amendments may offer some challenges. Compost is great, but if your pet consumes it, they could get an upset tummy. Blood and bone meal are intriguing smells to a dog. If using either or both of these, it is best to water them in thoroughly and try to keep your pet away for 24 – 48 hours to allow the odor to dissipate.
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Good to Grow! Grab the garden gloves and trowel! You’re now ready to get that garden growing. Pretty soon, you’ll be sharing your own fresh veggies with your family and furry helper, feeling a sense of pride for having grown the bounty yourself.
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Just remember, safety first! If you think your pet has come into contact with any poisonous substances or ingested something dangerous, contact your veterinarian or the Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) at 888-426-4435 immediately.
- Cate Bryson, PAWS Volunteer & Site Manager
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Social Distancing Visual Aids
Submitted by PAWS Member Lois Brooks
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One Greater Swiss Mountain Dog
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Pet Safety During COVID-19
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We are sure that many of you have heard about the recent diagnoses of two domestic cats in New York with COVID-19. At this time, there is no evidence that animals play a significant role in spreading the virus that causes COVID-19. However, we want to be sure that pet owners have the most recent recommendations from the CDC concerning COVID-19 and your pets.
- Do not let pets interact with people or other animals outside the household.
- Keep cats indoors when possible to prevent them from interacting with other animals or people.
- Walk dogs on a leash, maintaining at least 6 feet (2 meters) from other people and animals.
- Avoid dog parks or public places where a large number of people and dogs gather.
- If a person inside the household becomes sick, isolate that person from everyone else, including pets.
- Talk to your veterinarian if your pet gets sick or if you have any concerns about your pet’s health.
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Carol and her adorable Maltese/Terrier mix, Roxy, became PAWS members in July, 2017. Carol read about PAWS in the local newspaper which piqued her interest in pet therapy. Although Roxy loves meeting and interacting with all new people and different environments, Carol felt Roxy would do her best therapy work with children. In January of 2018, this duo joined the PAWS for Reading Program at Showell (Phillip C.) Elementary School in Selbyville, DE where Roxy is a reading superstar. In addition to pet therapy, Carol is very involved with different aspects of her church. Thank you, Carol, for your dedication and generosity volunteering with PAWS for People. Thank you, Roxy, for your sweet and gentle nature and ability to connect with all of the kids who you have inspired to improve their reading skills.
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Cheryl and her Lab Terrier pup, Joy, joined PAWS in 2017. Together, they serve both the Haverford Township Free Library and Upper Darby Township Library - Primos Branch. This team is absolutely adored by their library sites and the children who attend the program. Their dedication and reliability are highly valued and appreciated! In addition, Cheryl has taken on the role of “Site Lead” for St. James Church in Havertown. Her assistance with opening, closing, cleaning, and hosting has made it possible for PAWS to hold Orientation & Training sessions there. Thank you, Cheryl, for being so generous with your time and for your wonderful patience with the readers in the PAWS Program. Thank you, Joy, for your gentle nature, adorable smile, and ability to connect with the children.
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Thank You to Our PAWS Partners
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Donate While You Shop
The AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases when selected by customers. Choose PAWS for People when you log in:
smile.amazon.com
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Try Chewy.com & Support PAWS
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