On April 29, PAWS of CNY volunteers Jenn MacArthur and Karin Laskowski and her golden retriever Piper, attended a Troop meeting for Girl Scout Troop 1065 at St. Anne’s Church in Solvay. PAWS of CNY was invited to the troop meeting to teach the girls about the benefits of pet therapy and what it takes to become a therapy dog.
“Piper created a huge buzz from the moment she stepped out of the car!” said MacArthur. “She was swarmed on the way to the presentation and loved every minute of it! During the presentation Piper was a model therapy pet and waited very patiently while the humans did their talking. She was also able to show us some tricks along the way – most impressive was her response to the leave it command. She acted as if the treat didn’t exist. The students had many questions about Piper and were thrilled when the talking part of the presentation stopped and the petting portion began. Piper was in her glory with up to 6 sets of hands on her at once.”
PAWS of CNY routinely meets with students to help them understand not only what it takes to be a therapy dog, but the importance of treating animals with respect, caring for them sincerely, and treating them with respect as well. According to MacArthur, the lesson of the happiness and comfort that pets bring to people was not lost on the young troop.
“I think the most important lesson that the students learned was the power of pets and what a positive impact they can have on a person’s mood and life in general.”
If you are interested in having PAWS of CNY attend your student event, contact us.