Fall 2013

PALS Pet Access League Society 3019 21st Street NE, Calgary, AB T2E 7T1 Phone 403-250-7257 Fax 403-250-9273

Charitable registration # 10781 1879 RR0001

For over 10 years everyone who came to visit at the PALS office

had the privilege of being greeted by Joey. To be honest, in Jo-

ey’s eyes, people came especially to see her and she probably

wasn’t too far off. I can say this because every morning when

she arrived she came into my office and made me feel like I was

the most important person in her day. With that wonderful

whine she had as she wagged her way up

to me, ears swaying and eyes shining, get-

ting ready for her belly rubbings, then she

would put her nose to the ground to check

out the smells that happened since she left

the night before and peruse for any possi-

ble crumbs that may have been dropped

and needed her attention. She then am-

bled to her office and her bed to wait for

the next visitor or lunch – whichever came first.

But as it is too often with a beloved pet, time marches too

quickly and the moment we dread approaches and we are left

with tremendous loss of a personality so large and a soul so

pure that we wonder if we will ever heal. Joey’s passing has left

a tremendous void in all the lives that she touched, but espe-

cially with her mom and dad, Joan and Warren. The office

seems empty without her larger-than-life personality in it on a

daily basis, lunch time seems stilted without her efforts to re-

lieve us of a good chunk of our meal, and rabbits that play in

the grass almost seem lost without Joey’s call to action when

they stop too long in front of PALS. And Joan’s step has lost just

a little spring in it since she lost her little girl.

Author Roger Caras wrote, “dogs

are not our whole life, but they

make our lives whole”. Joey did an

amazing job at doing this. Whether

it was at the office, visiting at Went-

worth or at home with her family

she brought peace and love to every

life she touched. And if I know Joey

she is waiting at Rainbow Bridge,

chasing the bunnies, eating treats,

lying in the sun and cashing in on belly rubbings with Morgan,

Harvie and Amos.

Joan and Warren thank you for having such a special girl and

allowing PALS to be part of her life. I know that I am a better

person for knowing Joey. Rest in Peace Joey. May Rainbow

Bridge be made of Milkbones!

Your friend,

The passing of a Queen “Don’t cry because it’s over, Smile because it happened.”

- Ted Geisel (Dr. Seuss)

MRSA: what therapy dog handlers should know about the Superbug. MRSA stands for Methicillin Resistant Staphloccus Au-reus. It is a common bacteria, often referred to as a hospital ‘superbug’, that tends to affect people with a weak immune system or those who have taken too many antibiotics. It can also affect dogs.

It is often found on the skin and in the nose of healthy people and many unknowingly become carriers. It is carried on clothes and other objects. MRSA survives on regular surfaces and on hands for some time. It can be spread by touch or in the air. However MRSA is easily killed with proper use of disinfectants and good hand washing.

How to keep your dog safe

Wash your hands before and after therapy dog visits

Never enter a room where a patient has MRSA. Watch for signs posted around or outside the pa-tients room

Make sure your dogs is well groomed and clean.

Never visit if your dog is unwell or has any open wounds or cuts.

Avoid shake a paw tricks as this puts your dogs feet in direct contact with a patients skin. Avoid having your dog lick a patient.

Be aware that MRSA can be present on doorknobs, wheelchairs, walker handles and other objects in affected spaces.

How does MRSA affect animals

The bacteria can cause infection in an animal if it finds a way into a cut. It can cause skin infections or more seriously, internal infections. MRSA is resistant to many antibiotics.

Every facility should have policy and procedures about MRSA. Ask questions to protect yourself and your dog. Your vet is also a valuable resource for you and your pet. Reprinted from OttawaTherapyDogs.ca

5 days with 5 amazing group of volunteers who raised over $2700 for PALS. Thanks to eve-ryone who volunteered to wrap weinies and brats, flip grill cheese, and pop the tops on way too many Big Rock beers. You are all amazing and I had a blast each day working with you!

Shaw Charity Classic Fundraiser

Come and join us at:

Art Market November 14—17

T’was the Night at the Core Nov 28

Dogs ‘N Cats in the Mall Dec 17 & 18

Puppy Rooms at U of C and St Mary’s,

first 2 weeks in December

Call Joan or Diana if you

would like to volunteer to help

PALS at one of these events

PALS is doing a

Christmas Fundraiser

Watch your email for details

on how to get your

beautiful poinsettias in time

for the holidays

TELUS Spark holds Adults-Only Night programs once per month, and invites visitors to ex-plore the galleries and themed programming, while there are no kids around in the gal-lery. There is an average attendance of roughly 700 visitors during the event.

Telus Spark contacted PALS about their upcoming Adults Only Night on Thursday, September 12. PALS was being invited back as one of their “Greatest Hits” due to it’s popularity with their visitors when we were there in February.

When to retire your therapy dog Sometimes it’s hard to retire a therapy dog—after all,

the visits are satisfying and they make people hap-

py. Don’t wait until an incident occurs. Be alert to

signs and signals as your dog’s well being may be

affected. If necessary get a second opinion.

Keep in mind the following signs that it may

be time to retire:

Your dog starts to act old—stiffness and soreness become apparent

Your dog signals an exit strategy—look for signs of stress, your dog

isn’t getting excited about putting on the scarf and leash for work

anymore or pulls back when you approach the facility

Your dog is getting grouchy—your dog is starting to avoid people,

or hides behind you

Your dog is no longer having fun—when the

tail no longer wags during visits, or if your dog

looks sad or depressed then perhaps it is time

to replace visiting with another activity for you

to enjoy together

Your dog is sick or loses it appetite—check

with your vet to see what the underlying issue

may be.

Story PALS Coming to a library near

you from mid October

to December 2

Help PALS touch a life . . . Make a donation today

PALS Pet League Access Society 2013 fundraising campaigns is

expected to raise approximately $100k at an approximate cost of

$10K. Proceeds will be used where most need unless otherwise

directed by the donor. Our Charitable registration number is

10781 1879 RR0001. PALS is located at 3019 21st Street NE,

Calgary, AB T2E 7T1, phone 403-250-7257 and contact

Executive Director Diana Segboer for any questions.

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You can also

donate to PALS

through

DONOR CHOICE

A tax receipt will be issued for all donations of

$25.00 or more and mailed via Canada Post.

Please ensure to fill out your complete mailing

address so we may mail out your tax receipt

without delay.

PALS needs your stories, testimonials, quotes, and experiences.

These are an extremely powerful tool that we are looking to you for. Without using names and places, we can weave your stories and situations into our mes-saging to create a powerful and impactful story to en-tice funders to support PALS. Contact Diana and Joan at the office today—403-250-7257.

PALS volunteers and their animals impact lives!!!