PAWS for People Community Newsletter: Late January, 2022 |
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PAWS Pet Therapy Brings Comfort
to Those Who Are Grieving
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The PAWS to Comfort program has been called in to provide bereavement support to our community in a variety of ways in funeral services, in workplaces and in schools. Our furry visitors don’t need words to console those who have experienced loss. They know the value of soft, warm snuggles and gentle kisses.
PAWS member, Beverly Shreve, recently shared her experience visiting with at a local school after the tragic loss of a student. “I chatted to Soleil on the way to the school telling her that it was going to be a hard day but never did I think she totally understood what I meant by that! From the minute we walked up to students it was as if she was saying ‘I got this!’ She brought such joy and comfort to those kids. For 2 hours I watched in awe as she solely did her job and a great job at that. It was as if I wasn’t even in the room. I usually have some interaction with those we are with but early on it became clear that no words were needed. Yes, there are times especially in the hospital where no words are exchanged but yesterday it felt different as I watched Soleil work her magic.”
Beverly is a retired social worker from the Children’s Hospital and has experience working with tragic situations, but this was a totally new experience for her as she took a backseat and let Soleil be the star that our therapy pets are. Everyone who witnessed this during the day unanimously agreed – PAWS Pet Therapy is Awesome!
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Doodles in Dewey Registration Now Open! |
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PAWS for People is pleased to announce that the founder of Doodles in Dewey has selected PAWS as the new charity partner for the event! We are excited about this partnership and look forward to this new adventure together.
2022 Event Dates – April 30 – May 1
Location
The Saturday Doodle Romp on the Beach will be held at Dewey Beach, Delaware. Supplementary activities will be held throughout the Dewey/Rehoboth/Lewes area.
Registration Fees for 2022 Event
Early Bird Registration (by Thursday, April 28)
$10.00 per person ages 13 & older
Children 12 & under are free
Doodles are free (but will need to have a $5 Dewey Dog License)
Day of Event Registration
$15.00 per person ages 13 & older
Children 12 & under are free
Doodles are free (but will need to have a $5 Dewey Dog License)
Become a Sponsor or Business Partner for the Event
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Sharing Our Gratitude for Your Generous Giving |
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PAWS for People is filled with gratitude for the kindness and generosity of so many friends, both long-time and new, who supported us in 2021. We are honored and humbled by your incredible belief in our pet therapy programs and the many ways you are helping PAWS to continue connecting with and helping people during very difficult and challenging times.
PAWS’ 2021 Annual Appeal shared how we’re helping people and our need for your help. We thank this year’s 231 donors who very generously responded with donations totaling $51,530, our highest total ever!
To everyone who participated in the Betty White Challenge by supporting PAWS for People, thank you for your donation – and we know that Betty thanks you, too.
PAWS’ heartfelt thanks to everyone who shares their gifts of time, talents, and funding to support us year-round! Be assured that your caring and sharing will have long-lasting impact.
You bring Hope, Healing & Happiness… You change lives!
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Pet Therapy in Action this Week |
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Saphira (Becky Cronin) enjoyed giving a relaxing DeStress session to students over the winter break recently at Sean's House in Newark, DE. |
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Theresa Smith and her adorable Cavichon, Spencer, delighted students at Radnor High School with his penchant for being a lap dog and giving out lots of kisses. |
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Did You Know?
The Magical Benefits of Loving our Pets
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What would we do without our therapy pets – especially during these confusing and daunting COVID-fixated times?
In a study done by Hunian and Reddy, companion animals were “found to be helpful during the COVID 19 pandemic.” Interaction and positive physical contact with our furry ones leads to a whole variety of physiological and psychological benefits. We already know some of them – but in doing a little poking around, I found a long list of repercussions and implications I didn’t know about: release of the “good” biochemicals boosts the immune system and enhances health and well-being; pets ease some of our feelings generated by anxiety, dejection, and confusion caused by changing routines and rules and lack of availability of typically essential supplies. We know that our DeStress sessions help the college kids, but did you realize that we are now being called in for DeStress for elementary school kids and corporations watching their overstressed and exhausted staff?
There are many more – it’s now well-established that stress, anxiety, and depression can dysregulate our immune system. In periods of separation, anxiety and severe depression surface which release a lot of cortisol in an individual’s body. That’s the bad hormone that pet therapy helps to decrease.
Your dog or cat or bunny (or any companion pet) provides diverse advantages that help you to fight both negative physical and psychological reactions. At the very top of the list are gifts our pets give us by being great sources of entertainment, distraction, and companionship. And there are many more positive advantages – far more than we go into during your training - positives you are exposed to but may not recognize for the benefits they are.
So I’m thinking about putting together a meaty Zoom course that delves into the less obvious repercussions of this whole pandemic and then discusses how we as pet therapy people (or just people with pets) can make use of the magical benefits of our loving pets – for ourselves and for others. If you are at all interested in a course like this, please message Lynne at lrobinson@pawsforpeople.org. It’s a course waiting to happen!
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Upcoming PAWS' Dog Training Classes |
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Registration is open for our February PAWS dog training classes! Whether you are just getting started or need to work on specific behaviors, we have the perfect class for you! |
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PAWS Office, Newark, DE
PAWS Puppy (5-weekly sessions)
Thursday, February 24, 6:15 PM
PAWS Obedience 1 (5-weekly sessions)
Tuesday, February 22, 5 PM
Friday, February 25, 10:45 AM
PAWS Obedience 2 (5-weekly sessions)
Tuesday, February 22, 6:15 PM
Friday, February 25, 12 PM
Attention & Focus (5-weekly sessions)
Tuesday, February 22, 7:30 PM
Friday, February 25, 9:30 PM
Therapy Dog Prep (5-weekly sessions)
Thursday, February 24, 7:30 PM
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Pets and Friends, Jennersville, PA
STAR Puppy 6-weekly sessions)
Monday, February 7, 6:00 PM
Attention & Focus (5-weekly sessions)
Monday, February 7, 7:00 PM
PAWS Obedience 2 (5-weekly sessions)
Monday, February 7, 8:00 PM
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Kathleen, Magdalina & Genevieve |
After meeting a PAWS team at Nemour’s Children’s Hospital, Kathleen Waters was inspired to give back to her community. Kathleen, along with her daughter Magdalena, and their sweet and calm Berger Picard, Genevieve, completed PAWS training in August 2020.
Currently, with Magdalena away at college, Kathleen and Genevieve offer PAWS for Reading sessions and attend various DeStress events for summer camps, high schools and universities. Most recently, Kathleen and Genevieve offered pet therapy support at a Covid-19 vaccination clinic held by the Chester County Health Department.
Thank you, Kathleen & Magdalena for sharing your delightful Genevieve, and thank you, Genevieve, for being such a terrific therapy pet with so many of the youth of our community!
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Lisa Kazinoff and her sweet Cavachon, Lucy, have been members with PAWS for a second time around since October of 2020. They were originally a therapy team with PAWS in 2011.
As a health care professional, Lisa saw the positive results of pet therapy for patients and knew that Lucy’s very friendly and approachable demeanor would serve her well as a therapy companion.
Lisa and Lucy attend DeStress and other Community Events for PAWS. Most recently, they have become regulars at DeStressing students at the Radnor Township School District in Wayne, PA.
Thank you, Lisa for sharing your wonderful girl with the school and the community. Thank you, Lucy, for being a super sweet, snuggly friend with everyone you meet!
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Thanks 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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