As part of our ongoing commitment to service to our local community, LazyPaw Animal Hospitals was thrilled to host members of Girl Scout Troop 36 and assist them in attaining their Girl Scout Animal Helper Badge. The purpose of this badge is to aid scouts in learning about the numerous ways in which animals assist their human companions and how to aid animals in furtherance of their beneficial work. The badge requires Girl Scouts to explore past and present connections between animals and human beings in how they aid in keeping people safe, in helping individuals with physical and emotional disabilities, and in so far as simply enriching the lives of the family members with whom they care for and reside. Scouts are also asked to think outside the box and envision how animals can play even greater assistance roles to humans in the future.
To further our discussion and to provide a tangible example of how to earn the girl scout animal helper, local Frisco resident, LazyPaw client and Canine Companions for Independence (CCI) volunteer, Carol Long, brought her current puppy in training, Katherine II, to the clinic and shared with the scouts the mission off CCI:
“To enhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing highly trained assistance dogs and ongoing support to ensure quality partnerships… at no charge for a Canine Companions assistance dog. Individual participants in our program are not responsible for any of the substantial costs involved in the lengthy process of breeding, raising, and training each Canine Companions assistance dog.” Anyone with “physical or developmental disabilities who can demonstrate that a Canine Companions assistance dog will enhance their independence or their quality of life are qualified to apply. Also eligible are professionals working for organizations that provide physical or mental health care to clients who will benefit from interaction with a facility dog.”
Katherine II willing shared a few of the 30 basic commands she is learning which will be built upon during advanced training she will begin to receive just before turning 2-year-old! The girl scouts were suitably impressed and asked terrific questions all while Katherine II held an amazingly difficult down-stay. (Kids are pretty tempting play mates for a 14-month-old puppy!)
If you have a school or service group and are interested in a free, educational program, please give us a call to see how we can help. Our goal is to be the best small business we can by not only providing the very best in client customer service and patient medical and surgical care but by also supporting our Frisco neighbors and at-large DFW community through participation in regular outreach programs.
