Tuesday was a very big day for a furry friend of mine. (And yes, I did say “furry”!) A very big day indeed!

Paws and Affection (http://pawsandaffection.org/) is a local non-profit that happens to be very near and dear to my heart. Co-founded by two wonderful friends of mine (only 3 short years ago), their mission is to train and place service, facility and companion dogs with young people with disabilities. I have had the distinct pleasure of volunteering with them since they began and I just can’t say enough about their dedication…. dedication to their dogs AND to the recipients of their dogs!

This leads me back to my furry friend Kelly. Kelly, a golden/lab/poodle mix, was one of the very first pups to enter Paws and Affection. I was lucky enough to meet Kelly the day she arrived (at 16 weeks old) and then watch her grow and develop into an amazingly loving, caring, and skillful canine assistant. Tuesday, she officially started her new job … Kelly is now a resident facility dog at AIM Academy (https://www.aimpa.org/news/post/~post/aim-adopts-on-campus-facility-dog-20170228) in Conshohocken! She will be making use of the large variety of skills she has learned over the last two years by assisting in easing anxiety, aiding in practicing mindfulness, helping students complete tasks in speech and occupational therapy sessions, providing motivation in learning, and even helping to bolster confidence in reluctant readers.

The path of a service/facility/companion dog is not a short one… or an easy one. But it sure is a WONDERFUL one!

Enjoy!
Laura