A Rock Star Hit!

Eisntein is a 5 1/2 year old Cavalier King Charles

Donna Beirne is a dedicated volunteer and dog lover. She and her Cavalier King Charles, Audrey,  are regulars at the Jewish Home for the Aging / Grancell Village. And recently, Donna took over as Leader for this site. As if this is not enough, Donna also fosters dogs from the Cavalier Rescue USA. 

One of her foster, Eisntein, a 5 1/2 year old purebred Blenheim color, is a loving dog, full of energy who wants to make friends and explore wherever he goes. He quickly won Donna's heart and her husband became quickly attached. So they decided to adopt him.

Donna states: "I thought he would be great on therapy visits with all that energy and love to give.  I worked on his basic obedience commands and saw he would be a natural for therapy outings.   I finally brought him to the Lend A Paw Certification at the end of April 2012." And of course, Einstein, aka, "Ein" passed with flying colors!

Ein gave kisses to everyone!

Ein’s first visit was to New Horizons, a school and workplace for the developmentally challenged adults. The folks at New Horizons have a lot of energy and love the Lend A Paw teams, especially the new ones! So, naturally, Ein was a Rock Star hit! Donna says: " Ein was having fun greeting so many new friends,  granting requests to have his photo taken with all and gave kisses to everyone who came by for some puppy love. Everyone wanted to get his or her picture taken with Ein and we tried to accommodate everybody."

When asked about her other therapy dog, Audrey, and whether she will continue to take her for visits, Donna tells me that: "She will continue her therapy dog visits too.  Audrey has a bit of a lower energy level and tires more easily than Ein and is definitely more selective on handing out doggie kisses.  She still loves going to her regular twice-monthly visits at Jewish Home for the Aging at Grancell Village and is always excited to see her red vest come out.  I would love to see both of them go out on a visit together sometime.  Maybe after Ein gets more visits under his vest, he can go out with another LAP handler and I can take Audrey on the same visit. "

Everyone wanted their picture taken with Ein!

That sounds like a great plan! Thank you Donna for your wonderful work!

Story by Nathalie Seguin, photos courtesy of Donna Beirne.

Scheduled Visits - April 2012

Here is a calendar of all Lend A Paw scheduled visits for the month of April 2012. Click on an event to see details about the visit. Choose the event(s) you wish to participate in and contact the Leader of the site to RSVP.

Cali's 3rd Birthday Celebration at New Horizons

Cali celebrated her 3rd birthday at New Horizons!

The New Horizons monthly lunchtime visit on March 14, 2012 got a huge turnout of seven Lend A Paw teams: Calli and Audrey, Ash and Lisa, Buckwheat and Lori, Wilson and Kenneth, Chloe and Judy, Cali and Me (Lydia), and Daisy and Jim. The New Horizons students were excited to celebrate Cali's 3rd birthday! 

Lisa, the Lend A Paw site leader for New Horizons, provided birthday party hats, candy (a HUGE draw), and decorative bead necklaces. Lisa also handed out St. Patrick's Day photo cards featuring many of the Lend A Paw therapy dogs. Lisa and Ash know how to work the crowd and please the students! 

Everyone signed the giant birthday card...

I made a giant birthday card featuring numerous cute doggie stickers and Cali's photo, and Lisa oversaw students signing the card. I also handed out Cali's new business card that features photos and information about Cali and Lend A Paw. 

At the visit, Wilson and Buckwheat displayed their prowess at backing up on command, Ash showed off his super cool style by wearing a birthday hat and humorous birthday sunglasses, many of the students enjoyed a face washing "Calli style" as her handler Audrey exclaimed, "she's a great kisser," and Daisy danced for treats by standing on her hind legs and spinning. Many of the students were excited to pose for photos with birthday girl, Cali, and Judy shared her fluffy white doggie, Chloe, who is, "always up for a party and enjoyed the festivities as well." 

Ash showed off his super cool style...

Audrey and Calli enjoyed the festivities!

Happy and proud Lydia with birthday girl Cali!

More highlights included: The lady in the wheelchair and the young man in the party hat who couldn't get enough of Cali's big, wet sloppy kisses; Buckwheat and Wilson comparing therapy dog patches on their vests (Cali is jealous and wants a patch too!) and hugs for the handlers from a few of the sweetest big "kids" you will ever meet! 

Story and photos by Lydia Marcus

A Volunteer's Experience

On Wednesday, February 8, 2012, Cali and I experienced our second therapy visit with Lend A Paw. We spent lunchtime with developmentally challenged adults at New Horizons in North Hills, CA. New Horizons is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping adults with developmental disabilities reach their potential and fulfill their dreams. New Horizons provides job training and placement, education, counseling, residential services, and social programs for individuals age 18 and older.

The hour was a whirlwind of questions regarding me and Cali.

Cali was a very popular girl!

What's the dog's name? "Cali."
Is it a he or a she? "She."
How old is she? "Two. She'll be three in March."
What's her birthday? "I don't know exactly."
What's your name? "Lydia."
What's your birthday? "February 27."
What's your Mother's name? "Beverly"
What's her birthday? "November 30, 1931."
(One of the ladies that was asking about the birthdays told me that my birthday was two weeks from Monday and that in the year of my mom's birth the Cab Calloway song "Minnie The Moocher" was on the charts - she was right on both accounts (I had to look up wikipedia about the song.)
Does Cali eat Candy? "No, she eats dog treats. I have some with me, would you like to give her a treat?"
Can I smell your hair? "No."
Why not? "Because that's a personal boundary I have."
Can I see your eyes? "Yes (I take off my sunglasses.)"
Can you make this sound (one lady was big on asking me to repeat sounds she was making)? "No, you're doing it well enough for both of us."
Is that magic? (regarding some of Cali's tricks.) "No, I taught her how to do that."

I made an assortment of mini Valentine's Day cards!

I made an assortment of mini Valentine's Day cards to hand out. There were 6 different images of Cali. Each card had a photo of Cali on the front and handwritten on the back was "Be My Valentine xoxo Cali." Many people asked Cali to shake. I showed them that instead of shaking, she does "high five." I also showed her doing "leave it" with both a treat and her ball, and "take it," allowing her to eat the treat or take the ball. She also showed off "beg," "up" (to jump up on a planter where you could also sit) and to stand up and put her paws on my chest, "sit," "tap touch" where she touches my index finger with her nose, left and right, "flips" where she leaps in a circle, "stay" so she could pose for photos with people, and "catch" and "drop" with her tennis ball. The residents really enjoyed throwing her ball and they told me their favorite trick was Cali's flips.

At one point, when I felt like Cali needed a little break to reconnect with me, I had her stand up with her paws on my chest and I gave her a hug and a kiss. Four of the New Horizons students surrounded us and each stuck their head in for a kiss from Cali. One by one, she gave each a kiss. This was my favorite moment of the visit and I sure wish I had it on video or photo. Cali is not an overly kissy dog, so I wasn't sure if each person would get their kiss, but she did not disappoint any of them!

Story and photography by Lydia Marcus

LAP Coloring Contest

The coloring page designed by Isabella Koelman.

At New Horizons, in North Hills, the clients love the LAP Teams and get very excited to meet the volunteers and their dogs. Servicing adults with developmental disabilities, New Horizons offers a Day Training Activity Center program which focuses on the reinforcement and development of skills and experiences designed to fulfill each client's potential. The program provides training in functional living skills, opportunities to explore creative self expression, and community visits to participate in recreational, educational, cultural, and volunteer activities. Arts and Craft is one of the on-campus programs offered, and when our Lend A Paw site leader, Lisa Erving, organized a coloring contest, the teachers loved the idea and turned it into the class project of the week.

Lisa requested a custom coloring page from Isabella Koelman, an artist who specializes in paintings and drawings of pets. Lisa sent her photos of the Lend A Paw Therapy Teams, and Isabella designed a festive coloring page that included Callie, Ash, Gabi, Lexee, Daisy and Audrey, the dogs that regularly visited New Horizons at the time.

Angela submitted this beautiful picture!

Lisa & Ash, and Donna and her dog Audrey, distributed the coloring pages. Entry information and directions were written on the back. "The clients really enjoyed it," says Lisa. "They like talking about how different all the dogs are." Over 70 coloring pages were turned in! Lisa also left some blank pages with the teachers and every once in a while, another one gets turned in.

Lisa asked Isabella Koelman to be the judge and to pick a winner. However, Mrs. Koelman couldn't chose only one. "She said she loved them all," reports Lisa, "so everyone was a winner!" At their next visit, she handed out goody bags which contained a handful of candies, stickers, copies of cartoons, and a little plastic medal that says "winner." Lisa even saved some of the bags to handout to the ones that were turned in late!

This was Julian's entry!

This was such a successful event that the teachers and staff at New Horizons asked Lisa to organize another one soon!

To see more beautifully colored images, visit the New Horizons coloring contest gallery.

Story by Nathalie Seguin and Lisa Erving.

Lend A Paw Starts the New Year at OakView

This was Chris and Mason's first visit as site leader!

On January 1st, 2012, two Lend A Paw teams started off the New Year by visiting  OakView at University Village. Christine and Mason, the new leaders of this site, and Lisa and Ash went there to spread a little cheer and bring a lot of joy to the residents and staff of this beautiful facility.
Located in Thousand Oaks, across the street from California Lutheran University, OakView offers multiple levels of care; from Assisted Living, to Skilled Nursing, everyone has a place at OakView. They even have a specialized environment for residents with Alzheimer's.

Ash's soft and beautiful coat was the talk of the day!

The Lend A Paw program visits OakView at University Village every first Sunday of each month and each team is greeted with big smiles and enthusiasm. Many residents love petting the dogs and talking to the volunteers. Some of them will remember an old pet and will share some wonderful stories about their dog.
Mason was particularly popular with a husband and wife who used to own a Great Dane. The husband quickly stopped, took his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out an old photograph of their dog, laying on the sofa, to show Chris.
Other residents commented on how soft and beautiful Ash's long coat is and inquired about grooming and how long it takes Lisa to brush him.
Many residents asked about the Lend A Paw program and about other dogs in the program. Everyone enjoyed the visit and said they will be looking forward to the next Lend A Paw visit.
This was Chris and Mason's first visit as site leaders and they are hoping that many more volunteer/dog teams join them for next month's visit!

LAP Volunteer Profiles

These two Lend A Paw teams have recently completed their Certification and are ready to provide companionship and social interactions to people in need.

Stacey Procter and Flora
Stacey adopted Flora, a 3 year old Miniature Pinscher mix from New Leash On Life about a year ago.  At that time Flora was in training for the Lend A Paw program.  Flora is now settled in her new home with her human baby brother Tommy.  She and Stacey are very excited to have accomplished this goal of becoming certified.  Stacey is delighted to share Flora’s joyful personality with those in need, as well as to prove that shelter dogs can overcome their tumultuous pasts to become excellent companions, and even successful working dogs. 

Amanda Fogarty and Newman
Amanda rescued Newman, a Dalmatian, when he was left outside for 5 years to fend for himself.  He was very overweight and his leg muscles had atrophied due to lack of exercise, so he required a lot of rehabilitation before he could be certified.   Now, back in shape and fully certified, Newman is our first ever Dalmatian in the Lend A Paw program.  Amanda and Newman are looking forward to giving back to the community and educating children on the humane treatment of animals.

 Congratulations Stacey & Flora and Amanda & Newman! Keep up the good work!

A Therapy Dog In The Making

Sharon Newman became a Certified Lend A Paw Handler because she believes in the human/animal bond. She truly believes that animals, especially dogs, can affect the way people feel.

And she has enjoyed being a therapy dog handler so much, and felt so much fulfillment from each visit that she has decided to raise a puppy to become a Lend A Paw Certified Therapy Dog. 

So this past Summer, Sharon brought Roxy home; Roxy is an adorable Golden Retriever who already demonstrates all the qualities a dog should possess to be a good therapy dog: She loves people and wants to please them. 

As her puppy grows to maturity, Sharon has been blessed with the generosity of others by them "lending" their therapy dogs to her for the Lend A Paw visits. But a few weeks ago, Sharon had a wonderful experience with Roxy and she would like to share this story with everyone.

"Roxie and I were enjoying a morning walk in my neighborhood one Saturday morning, when we encountered a man sitting in a wheel chair in the shade outside a residential house. I know this house to be a residence for adults with severe head injuries as a result of some type of trauma. As we approached him, he smiled broadly and lowered his hand, as if asking to pet Roxie. We got close and Roxie was a perfect lady. She put her head in his lap and he petted her over and over. I told him her name and age. Through his labored speech I could make out that he said "Hi Roxie." We stayed a few minutes, all the while the smile never leaving his face. When we said goodbye, he mumbled "Bye, Roxie."
It was such a beautiful, impromptu moment. It made me even more happy and excited about bringing Roxie into the Lend A Paw program!"

Roxie will be eligible for testing for certification with Lend A Paw when she turns one year old. Stay tuned for updates on her progress to reach that goal!


Story and photos by Nathalie Seguin.

Halloween Spirit

October was a busy month for the Lend A Paw program and it was definitely a fun one. The LAP teams demonstrated that everyone can have Halloween Spirit and dress up... even the dogs! Some teams even brought candies to pass out. One of the most popular visit was at the Jewish Home For The Aging / Eisenberg Village, on Saturday, November 29th. This is an annual event and the residents and clients of this facility really enjoy seeing all the dogs in costumes! This year, 8 dog/handler teams were present: Andy and Bailer, Chris and Mason, Lisa and Ash, Lori and Buckwheat, Lydia and Cali, Marshall and Genny, Sarah and Bailey, and Judy and Chloe. From the smallest to the tallest, they all dressed up and paraded in front of a large audience. Even the staff of the Jewish Home wanted to witness this amazing show!

8 dog/handler teams participated in this visit.

Judy and her cute butterfly, Chloe, delighted the residents.

Bailey was supposed to be a vampire but with his friendly face, he didn't scare anyone!

"Which way to the trail?" says Camper Buckwheat.

What an adorable pumpkin Ash makes!

Miss Genny dressed as an Angel.

And the King (Bailer) was in the building!

Chris and Mason both dressed up and made lots of heads turn!

This was Cali's first visit and she performed like a pro!

Story and Photography by Nathalie Seguin.

Scheduled Visits - November 2011

Here is a calendar of all Lend A Paw scheduled visits for the month of November 2011. Click on an event to see details about the visit. Choose the event(s) you wish to participate in and contact the Leader of the site to RSVP.

LAP Teams Update

 The following dogs and handlers have recently achieved another milestone in the Lend A Paw program:

 Joanne Burnsides:
Joanne was certified on June 4, 2011 as a volunteer handler.  Joanne works as a therapist and caregiver at Home Instead Senior Care.  She has also volunteered for the past 5 years with the Hospice of Central California, so she brings a lot of experience with seniors to the program, which is important with our type of work.    Though she does not have her own dog, she partners with Gabi & Ziko to visit various sites, including the Anne Douglas Center, The Jewish Home for the Aging, the L.A. Mission and more.  Joanne recently completed her 6th visit and is now a Level II volunteer.  Gabi & Ziko are very thankful she’s in the program, so they can make more visits!  

Chris Nitz & Mason:
Chris and Mason were also certified on June 4, 2011.  Chris joined the program because she enjoys giving back to the community.  Mason is our first Great Dane in the program and his striking looks catch attention wherever he goes.  Despite his size, his gentle demeanor makes even the smallest children feel comfortable.  Chris and Mason have been making site visits to the L.A. Mission, KEEN Los Angeles, The Jewish Home for the Aging, and Aegis Assisted Living.  They recently completed their 6 visits and next month will be taking over as the lead volunteer team for Oakview Assisted Living in Thousand Oaks.  

Judy Kamins & Chloe:
Judy and Chloe first came to the program after completing training sessions at K9s Only.  Judy has worked professionally as a social worker and wanted to enrich her experience and spend quality time with Chloe as well.  Chloe started out as a very shy little puppy, but through her training and Judy’s gentle guidance, her confidence was raised and Chloe now enjoys every minute she spends visiting.  Due to Judy’s passion for social work, she is drawn towards the sites we visit with Autistic children.  Judy and Chloe recently completed their 6th visit and they are looking forward to doing a lot more.

Please congratulate all three of these volunteers for their hard work and dedication to Lend A Paw.

2nd Annual Lend A Paw Picnic

   On Sunday, October 16th we held our Second Annual LAP Appreciation Picnic at Serrania Park in Woodland Hills. Over 30 volunteer humans and dogs gathered for food, fun and conversation.

The annual picnic gives volunteers a chance to get to know each other, and the program leaders an opportunity to express our gratitude and appreciation for our valued volunteer Handlers and Therapy Dogs.
                     

Lisa and her dog, Ash, recently celebrated their one 

year anniversary with the program. They completed a whopping 60 visits in one year! Lisa hopes to get her younger dog, Cinder, certified soon so that she can continue to bring love and joy to all the individuals they visit.

                                                                  

Amanda and her dog, Newman, a rescue 

whom she rehabilitated, joined the program 

in September. They are looking forward to 

visiting the children's locations, in order to 

help educate children on humane treatment 

of animals.                                                                                                  

Sarah Jane and Bailey have been an LAP Team since 2008. They  were awarded for completing over 100 visits since becoming certified in 2008. Sarah Jane and Bailey have also brought Lend A Paw to KEEN Los Angeles, an organization which provides sports and activities to children with developmental challenges. The Therapy Dogs help to facilitate social interaction with developmentally challenged children at this location. Interaction with the dogs can also help to build confidence and interpersonal communication skills.

A BIG thank you to all of our Volunteer Handlers and Dogs. We also extend a special thanks to our "behind the scenes" volunteers such as Nathalie Seguin who our writes our blog, and Mel Whitney and Liz Kessler who have assisted with administrative duties this year. Our mission of rescuing animals and giving back to the community could not be fulfilled without all of your hard work and dedication. Here's to the upcoming year and all that we will accomplish!

Story by Sharon Vincuilla, Lend A Paw Director

Scheduled Visits - October 2011

Here is a calendar of all Lend A Paw scheduled visits for the month of October 2011. Click on an event to see details about the visit. Choose the event(s) you wish to participate in and contact the Leader of the site to RSVP.

Who's Who Part 2

Sarah Jane & Bailey:

Sarah Jane Chelin & Bailey were certified as a LAP team in December, 2008.   Since then, with a few rare exceptions, they have made one or more visits every month.  Working toward a goal of accomplishing 100 visits this year, she and Bailey have become one of our most experienced volunteer teams.  While they spread their joy across many sites, Sarah is now the Lead Volunteer for the KEEN visits; an organization providing sports and activities for developmentally challenged children.  Please join us in cheering her and Bailey on as they strive to hit their goal of 100 visits!  

Jane, Jessica & Caspy:

Jane Eckstein and her daughter, Jessica Masser, adopted Caspy from New Leash On Life in January 2009, and in February they were certified and began visiting with Lend A Paw.  Jane and Jessica had already been involved in community outreach programs, when they
adopted Caspy. They were teaching a self defense class at Kayne Eras; a school for developmentally challenged children, many of whom
are autistic.  They spoke with the Principal and Caspy and his friends

have been visiting regularly ever since.  Jane and Jessica have now expanded their sites to Fallon Cardiology Office and the Westside Regional Center, where Jessica works as a peer mentor.  The Westside Regional Center provides several programs and resources for developmentally challenged adults or children and their families.   If you haven’t worked with Jane and Jessica you are missing out on the vitality and compassion they bring to the LAP program.

Lend A Paw Team Receives Achievement Award

Congratulations are in order! New Leash On Life's Lend A Paw Team Barbara and Cody recently received an Achievement Award from Animal Farm Foundation, Inc. 

To qualify for the Animal Farm Foundation Achievement Award, the dog and owner duo must work together to win hearts and open minds, breaking stereotypes and disproving myths for all "pit bull" dogs. The goal of this award is to honor those wo are making a difference and working towards a world where "pit bull" dogs are accepted as individuals. 

And that's exactly what Barbara and Cody have been doing since they became a Certified Lend A Paw Team in April 2010.

Every month, this dynamic duo visits Oakview Assisted Living and Nursing Home as well as the LA Mission's Ann Douglas Center for Women where they visit mothers and their children during their "Mommy and Me Program". But what makes this team so special is the fact that Cody is a "pit bull" mixed breed and has a disability. When Cody was a puppy, he was diagnosed with a congenital malformation called ectrodactyly or "lobster claw syndrome". He was rescued by Even Chance, a San Diego based pit bull advocacy center, which paid for the surgery to correct the deformity by fusing two toes together. He was adopted shortly after the surgery by Barbara who states: "He's been pretty special ever since I adopted him. And for some reason, from the bottom of my heart, I know I'm supposed to have Cody." 

According to Barbara, Cody is a "people-oriented dog," and although his breed surprises people, his charisma wins them over every time. With a "mitten" paw, Cody walks with a slight limp which also helps physically challenged people relate to him.

Cody is now 3 years old and while he is composed and calm when he wears the Lend A Paw vest, at home he is a typical, high energy dog. Barbara says that, "working is taxing on Cody and all therapy dogs. When he gets back from a visit, he collapses for the rest of the day." But Barbara knows that Cody really enjoys it because "he is proud of himself and is glad to be the center of attention."

Story and Photography by Nathalie Seguin.

Aegis Living of Granada Hills

On Sunday, August 14th, three Lend A Paw teams went to visit the residents of Aegis Living of Granada Hills; Sharon & Gabi, Lisa & Ash and Lori & Buckwheat were greeted by enthusiastic staff members and were introduced to some very happy residents.

Aegis Living of Granada Hills is a wonderful community that offers three different levels of care:

The Assisted Living Option is ideal for active seniors with health concerns who require daily assistance.

The Memorial Care Option provides care for the residents with Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.

Aegis of Granada Hills also offers specialized care for short term residents and those who require hospice care.

At Aegis Living, the residents are offered a variety of events, activities and new challenges to keep their mind and body active. And they are encouraged to participate in these social situations. The Lend A Paw's monthly visit is part of the Activities Calendar and most residents look forward to seeing and petting the LAP dogs. They also enjoy talking to our volunteers/handlers. Some residents recognize the LAP teams and greet them like old friends while others just enjoy meeting each dog/handler team and getting to know them. And on this particular visit, everyone had a wonderful time. Thank you volunteers and dogs!

Lend A Paw Who's Who

There are three levels of Handlers in our Lend A Paw program as well as Basic, Intermediate and Advanced levels for dogs. The number of hours/visits determines the level of our teams. Two of our Lend A Paw teams have recently reached a milestone in our program and we would like to recognize these wonderful volunteers and their faithful companions:

Arlene Alpert & Kooper


Arlene and Kooper started with LAP program in January, 2010.  Arlene got Kooper from the Guide Dogs of America Organization.  Kooper felt that being a guide dog wasn’t for him, but Arlene knew he was still meant for something special.  Arlene has worked at Providence Tarzana Hospital for years and has been looking for a way to have Kooper join her in caring for other people.  Kooper is a four year old black Labrador Retriever who loves his work and can’t get enough attention.  Arlene and Kooper have recently achieved the status of Level II Volunteers and they are enthusiastic about their upcoming year in the program. 

Lisa Erving & Ash


Lisa Erving and her long coat Akita, Ash, have been certified with Lend A Paw since September 18, 2010.  Lisa and Ash quickly completed their six supervised visits and went on to take the role of Lead Volunteer at New Horizons.  Lisa’s vivacious personality and Ash’s unique, teddy bear look make them a favorite at New Horizons, as well as the other locations they visit.  Lisa goes above and beyond by making each visit a special event – just last month Ash turned 2 years old and she celebrated with the individuals at New Horizons by having a birthday party!  She always knows the names of the people she visits and loves to take pictures to hand out.  This last week was Lisa & Ash’s 50th visit!  She celebrated by presenting each student with a specially created LAP caricature coloring sheet of Ash and his friends, and a bag of candy.   Lisa and Ash have touched so many lives through their work and we are so blessed to have them in the LAP program. 

Thank you Arlene and Kooper and Lisa and Ash for the wonderful work you are doing! Keep lending your paws and spreading the love!