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Why did
Second
Chance Animal Adoption (SCAA)
recently vote to deny shelter dogs the
opportunity to participate in the
Pawsitive
Works™ Program that serves both at-risk
youth and homeless dogs?
Pawsitive Works™
is an innovative five week program that teaches
compassion, communication, empathy, and
goal-setting to at-risk youth.
Written by professionals,
Pawsitive
Works™ evidence-based curriculum was
created to teach youth life lessons through the
care and training of homeless, behaviorally
challenged dogs.
When youth work with the dogs it teaches
them healthy ways of coping, improving
communication skills and increasing self-esteem.
The Human-Animal Bond has proven to be
effective in teaching empathy and compassion and
has a nurturing affect on the youth who care for
them and train them.
Not only does this program assist the
youth but it gives shelter dogs much needed
training, love and socialization. This program
truly shapes both ends of the leash……at-risk
youth and shelter dogs.
Currently
Boundary
County
has no life skills programs for
our
youth who are on probation;
Pawsitive
Works™ can and will solve that problem.
The Boundary County Probation Department has
committed to this program starting fall of 2011.
In addition,
Boulder
Creek
Academy
has committed to running the program throughout
the year for their youth.
This is wonderful news for our community!
Unfortunately, we have been denied access to
shelter dogs housed in
Boundary
County.
In a recent letter of denial from Second Chance
Animal Adoption to
Pawsitive
Works™ they state: “It
was a unanimous decision by SCAA’s board not to
ally ourselves or work with non-profit
organizations whose agendas and mission
statements do not coincide with our own."
We respectfully disagree.
We believe the time has come to find ways
to work together – collaboratively –to maximize
limited resources in this difficult economic
time and create the biggest impact. We know from
working with our current shelter partners that
this program provides opportunities for shelters
that they would not otherwise be exposed to.
Opportunities such as increased monetary
support, advanced exposure for dog adoptions,
community support and volunteerism, and grant
opportunities just to name a few.
Many people are passionate about the youth in
our community and many are passionate about
saving dogs.
We know you care and you have a voice.
Pawsitive
Works™ is holding a community forum
where you will be given the opportunity to ask
questions.
Through our experience of running this
program in three other counties we KNOW it
works; we KNOW it is beneficial in creating more
productive members of our society; and we KNOW
it helps dogs become more adoptable.
Please join us so we can further educate you on
the
Pawsitive
Works™ Program and help us brainstorm
ways in which we can use dogs in Bonners Ferry
for this program.
The youth and dogs of our community
DESERVE IT!!
DATE: Thursday- June 9
TIME:
5:45 pm
PLACE: Bonners Ferry
Visitors
Center
Visit
www.pawsitiveworks.com
for more information
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