Dog Tales Therapy Helps Children to Read in Pittsburgh

The Western PA Humane Society has teamed up with Sewickley Public Library to help children improve their reading by practicing the skill in a fun, nonjudgmental environment. The dogs are brought in for children to snuggle up with while reading.

Read more from the article by Jane Miller, for The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:

…Butter is a rescued therapy dog owned by 13-year-old Maggie Dobbins, who started “Dog Tales” as a Girl Scout service-award project at Sewickley Public Library.

…”The younger children are often more comfortable, because a dog doesn’t correct them,” Maggie says. “I’m listening to them read, and I think, ‘Oh, you missed that word.’ But I don’t say anything because it’s the dog they are reading to — and a dog wouldn’t correct them.”

For the past month, nearly two dozen children in kindergarten through third grade, have benefitted each week, as Maggie, Butter, and adult handlers with their therapy dogs representing the Western PA Humane Society, spread out over the floor of the library to listen to a different child read every 15 minutes.

“It is just wonderful to have this program for the library,” children’s librarian Rita Crawford says. Earlier in the fall, Maggie had approached her, and together they picked out appropriate books.

“We have all sorts of dog books — chapter books and picture books — and some kids bring their own books,” Maggie, a seventh grader in Quaker Valley Middle School, says.

Send us your Testimonial – Receive Free Product!!!

If you send us your testimonial on any of our Odor Eliminator products you’ve used, we will send you a free canister of Clear the Air’s Odor Eliminator! Post your testimonial on our Facebook page or Email us: YourCommunityPathway@gmail.com. This offer is good through November…only two more days to take advantage of this!

Dead Mice Odor Customer Testimonial

Thanks so much for helping us get rid of the dead mice odors! As you may recall, we had a terrible odor coming from trapped dead mice between the garage ceiling and dining room floor above it. With no way to get at it, we had no choice but to wait out the horrible smell from the decaying process! I was so nauseated, I wanted to move out of my home for a month!

Responding to our telephone call was both a life and home saver for us. The products worked almost immediately! Within a few days, the smell was at bay and barely noticeable to anyone! We aired the socks containing the product for a day, and then reused them for another week or so.

No one could have guessed we had had a problem.

It’s now been three weeks, and we have since hung newer socks containing the product. We also recycled the product, from the old ones, in our garden as you recommended.

A sincere and really huge “THANK YOU! “ for taking the time to return our call, and for helping us with this odoriferous situation.

Sincerely,

Tony &Lee Thomas

( in Massachusetts)

Send Us Your Testimonial and We’ll Send You Free Clear The Air Product

We are looking for customer testimonials! Send us your success story of a foul odor you dealt with and beat it with Clear The Air. Email your testimonial to YourCommunityPathway@gmail.com and we will send you a free canister of Earth Care’s Clear the Air.

Cutest Pet Photo Contest Winner!!!

Congratulations to Sol, the winner of the Cutest Pet Photo Contest! Sol is a very happy go lucky 4 year old Jack Russell who loves to steal socks and lay in the sun. He likes to cuddle and run after his favorite toy, a tennis ball. Sol and his owner, Chela, will be receiving a free canister of Clear the Air Odor Remover!
Thank you to Sol and Chela for participating in our contest!

New Puss In Boots Movie a HIT!

Who has seen the new Puss In Boots movie?  We went to see it Friday night when it came out and HOW CUTE!!!!  I was happy to hear that it opened with a solid if not spectacular $34 million, which was definitely still good enough for a Halloween weekend record.  I highly recommend the movie as it kept us laughing and rooting for Puss during the entire movie!

Second Annual National Food Drive For Family Pets Starts Sunday at Petco

Pet lovers are asked to donate pet food October 30-November 13 to help keep pets with their families this holiday season.  Pet food and cat litter donations can be made at all Petco stores nationwide.

During the two week drive consumers can pick up extra food or litter during their shopping trip or bring unopened cans or bags from home and drop it into specially marked Petco collection bins located in each store.

Throughout the drive, Hill’s Science Diet will match, pound for pound, every bag of cat and dog food donated, up to 100,000 pounds.  Last years drive provided more than 90 tons – about 200,000 pounds – of pet food for families in need which is an incredible gift leading into the holiday season and such an easy way for people to help keep pets well-nourished and with the families who love them in these tough economic times.

Find out more and help by volunteering.

October is “National Adopt a Shelter Dog Month”

What Can An Adopted Dog Bring To Your Life?

There are as many responses to that question as there are dogs in this world! That’s why that during American Humane Association’s Adopt-A-Dog Month celebration in October, we’re encouraging people to adopt a shelter dog and experience the joy of finding their own answers.

Are you looking for:

An exercise buddy?

A best friend and confidant for your child?

A dog you can train with to learn animal-assisted therapy?

A partner in agility competitions?

A constant companion for your favorite senior citizen?

A fuzzy face to greet you after a hard day at work?

An adopted dog can be all these things — and so much more!

Your local shelter is the perfect place to find dogs of every type, size, age and personality — all waiting for a loving home. Or, if you prefer a particular breed that isn’t currently available at a shelter, go online to find a breed-specific rescue group in need of adopters like you.

Find out what a shelter or rescue dog can bring to your life this October during Adopt-A-Dog Month!

Check out http://www.petfinder.com/index.html to help find adoptable pets in your area!

Remember To Send In Your Cutest Pet Photo For Our Contest!

Cutest Pet Photo Contest Deadline Soon Approaching!  Make sure to send us a picture of your cute pet and win FREE Clear The Air Canister!  Email your submission to: YourCommunityPathway@gmail.com.  Don’t Forget!  Winners are announced October 31st!

New Bill To Pair Dogs With Veterans

Earlier this week, the House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill with a feature that will pair trained shelter dogs with veterans. Living with a pet can only improve the lives of our soldiers when they return from duty, giving them a helpful companion filled with unconditional love. We applaud our government for their effort on passing the Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act and hope to see this bill implemented after further approval. — Global Animal

Yesterday the House unanimously passed a package of veterans’ health care legislation (H.R. 2074), and included in the final bill was the Veterans Dog Training Therapy Act (H.R. 198), introduced by Rep. Michael Grimm, R-N.Y., which will help pair vets with pets and is good for both soldier and canine.

The legislation would create a pilot program for training dogs as a form of therapy to help treat veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder and other post-deployment mental health conditions. The dogs could come from shelters, and after training, they would become service dogs to assist veterans with disabilities.

Rep. Grimm, a Marine combat veteran from Operation Desert Storm, said in a press release, “As a veteran, and an American, I am thrilled that this legislation has passed the House, and I urge my colleagues in the Senate to pass it without delay, so that it can be signed into law and allow us to begin providing assistance to our returning veterans.”

The bond between people and animals is a strong one—and can even be a healing one. Pets are good for our emotional and physical health, and studies show that having a pet can lower your blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Caring for a companion animal provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment and lessens feelings of loneliness and isolation in people of all ages.  – Global Animal