Staff Shoutout: Carrie

Day-to-day operations at PAWS NY are a bit crazy with everything going on lately, so we wanted to do a Staff Shoutout to highlight the work that our wonderful team has been doing. First up is PAWS NY Program Director Carrie, who recently celebrated her 7th Anniversary of working at PAWS, having started in this role in April 2013.

“I honestly don’t know what we would do without Carrie!” says PAWS NY Executive Director Rachel Herman. “Over the last seven years, she has made an incredible impact on the lives of our clients and their pets. Her passion for our mission, her compassion for people and animals, and her work ethic are what make her an outstanding Program Director. Her contributions are instrumental, and we are lucky to call her a colleague and friend.”

Carrie currently manages the pet food deliveries to the PAWS NY clients, and she is our organization’s representative on the NYC Emergency Management Animal Planning Task Force, which coordinated the launch of the NYC COVID-19 Pet Hotline. Learn more about Carrie’s work, and what she’s doing while in quarantine, by reading her Staff Shoutout Q&A below!

1. What is a recent highlight or success story of your work at PAWS NY?

I consider it a highlight that recently I oversaw the deliveries of almost 1,500 pounds of pet food and 900 pounds of litter and wee-wee pads to our clients, in the hope that we can provide some relief during the COVID-19 outbreak.  

Overall, the most gratifying part of my job is helping to facilitate foster care for the pets of clients that face medical emergencies and need to enter the hospital. With PAWS providing foster care in these instances, clients will hopefully access medical care immediately when needed because they know they have someone reliable to care for their beloved family member. It is incredibly rewarding to reunite pets and their guardians after a hospitalization, knowing that they were able to stay together because of our services.

2. Tell us about your pets: past & present!

I grew up with the sweetest, cuddliest little dog named Caesar, who put up with me carrying him around and snuggling him constantly. As an adult, I fostered both dogs and cats, and then adopted my current pup Emmylou in 2012. Emmylou is queen of our household and her favorite activities are hiking, napping, and treats, treats, treats.

3. What is your favorite thing (or things) about living in NYC?

Riverside Park, Coney Island, the amazing social service agencies in the city, the diversity, the theater, the museums, the history, the ambition.

4. How are you spending your time in quarantine? Are you learning or trying something new?

I’m continuing to work to provide our clients with as much help as possible, plus I’m trying to hike as often as I can. I’m cooking a ton and petting Emmylou at every possible opportunity. I finally started a yoga practice during this time at home, and I am trying (again) to teach myself how to play guitar!

5. Anything else you want to share with the PAWS community?

I am incredibly inspired to help in any way I can to protect and promote the Human-Animal Bond, particularly as more and more research validates the mental and physical benefits of pet guardianship. I believe that trying to leave the world even the tiniest bit better than you found it is the most important philosophy to live by.

We’re sending a big THANK YOU to Carrie for all her hard work during this time, and we can’t wait to have Emmylou visit the PAWS office again soon. Stay tuned for another Staff Shoutout soon!