We’re excited to welcome Dania Puerto to the PAWS NY team as our new Foster Administrator, overseeing elements of our foster program such as placing pets in volunteer foster homes, communicating with both foster volunteers and pet guardians, and ultimately reuniting pets with their guardians.

After growing up in rural Colombia with dogs and chickens and rabbits (and more!), Dania is thrilled to work for a place that supports people and their pets. “When I heard about this position, I thought it was beautiful and that it completely resonated with my values,” she said, “PAWS is the perfect place for me.”

Keep reading Dania’s Q&A below to learn more about her hobbies and interests here in NYC, plus her adorable dog Tony!

Did you grow up in NYC? If not, when did you move here? Where do you live now?
I grew up in Colombia until I was about 6 or 7. I try to go back every year since. Queens has been my only home in the States

What is your favorite thing (or things) about living in NYC?
Hm, I do love walking around Midtown at night. I also love that in Jackson Heights, you can satisfy all your cravings in one day. I love that my niece is Colombian, but since she grew up in a mostly Mexican three-family building, her Spanish has a Mexican accent. I love that communities build together regardless of their background. I love that living here means we have the privilege of being in organizations like PAWS, where the mission/vision of this organization is inspiring and doesn’t seem like an impossible reality. I also love the access we have to art and music, and the fact that we’re only a drive away from upstate!

What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?

I actually love working on my DIY calendars, reading, watching reruns of shows I’ve seen hundreds of times, and trying new sushi spots!

Welcome to the team, Dania! Be sure to follow PAWS NY on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok!

The post Staff Spotlight: Dania appeared first on Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY.

From the Letter from our Executive Director and Board Chair:

As we reflect on the past year, we are deeply thankful for the incredible support from our community. Your dedication to our mission of helping New Yorkers stay with their pets has made a profound impact. Together, we have enhanced the lives of so many. We’re excited to share highlights in Fiscal Year 2024’s Annual Report, showcasing the initiatives made possible through your generosity.

This past year was a busy one for PAWS NY, as we continued to expand our programs and reach across New York City. We hired Will Braithwaite as our new Communications Manager to help with outreach both in-person and online, and began hosting monthly pet pantry food distribution events thanks to a generous grant from The Brady Hunter Foundation.

Additionally, PAWS NY once again hosted our annual Barks & Blooms Spring Benefit at the Monarch Rooftop, raising $70,000 thanks to the generosity of our community. We also participated in more than 11 community service events across NYC and were featured in multiple press spots including an article in Authority Magazine on the mental health benefits of having a pet in old age, a volunteer spotlight/write-up in the West Side Rag, and a TV spot on BronxNet TV that highlighted our programs.

A highlight of the year was when pop star Cyndi Lauper shared our post about our Barks & Blooms Benefit on her personal Facebook page!

On behalf of the staff and board at PAWS NY, we thank each and every one of you for your support and partnership. None of our work would be possible without you and our incredible network, and we are proud of all that has been achieved. You inspire us every day!

Click here to download the PDF of the full Annual Report.

The post The PAWS NY Annual Report for FY 2024 appeared first on Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY.

We’re excited to welcome Will Braithwaite to the PAWS NY team as our new Communications Manager, overseeing all elements of marketing and communications for the organization.

After seeing the strong bond between his grandfather and his dog Dolly, Will is thrilled to work for a place that supports people and their pets. “I knew I wanted to be part of an organization that really makes a difference to animal lovers all over the city,” he said, “and PAWS is the perfect place.”

We have Will’s fiancé Carsen to thank for making the introduction. A PAWS NY volunteer, she introduced him to the organization–and then her PAWS pups Goldie and Muffin Sugar (and their guardian). Keep reading Will’s Q&A below to learn more about his hobbies and interests here in NYC, plus the two rescue cats that he and Carsen call their own!

What has your career been like leading up to PAWS NY? How did you make your way into the nonprofit world?

I actually started my career in the ad tech world, marketing ads for mobile gaming apps. I moved to New York after graduating from Vanderbilt University with a degree in American Studies and did a number of odd jobs including playing guitar for people’s proposals and being an extra on the show Succession. It was my fiancé Carsen who introduced me to PAWS NY; she had been volunteering for years and ended up running the marathon with PAWS in November! 

What about this position and organization attracted you? Why are you excited to be on the PAWS NY staff?

PAWS NY’s mission of helping people by helping pets spoke to my heart so clearly. My grandpa is 91 years old and adopted an adorable puppy, Dolly, two years ago. She totally changed his life! I knew I wanted to be part of an organization that really makes a difference to animal lovers all over the city, and PAWS is the perfect place. I also really love the people at PAWS NY; it’s clear they really care about helping others and their love for animals is infectious!

Tell us about your pets, past & present.

I have two adorable cats, Goose and Buffy. Both were rescues (Goose is from the Bronx but he doesn’t have an accent, Buffy’s from Brooklyn). My fiancé actually surprised me one Christmas when I came home and a 6-week-old tabby cat was sitting in my bathroom sink! We’ve been best friends ever since.

Did you grow up in NYC? If not, when did you move here? Where do you live now?

I grew up in the suburbs outside Philadelphia and moved to New York in 2018. I live in Crown Heights, Brooklyn now.

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

I love the music scene of New York! I’m a guitarist and I love that you can see a mind-blowing show any night of the week. This past summer my friends and I saw Lauryn Hill open for the Red Hot Chili Peppers in Central Park (I know, should have been the other way around), and it was such a quintessential NYC experience!

What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?

Outside of work, I’m a huge comedy nerd. I love performing improv and sketch comedy with my friends around Brooklyn.

Welcome to the team, Will! Be sure to follow PAWS NY on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok to see his work in action every day!

The post Staff Spotlight: Will appeared first on Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY.

Sadly, two longtime clients of PAWS NY passed away recently, and we are looking for a new home for their sweet pets: Gigi and Baby Boy. Are you interested in adopting either of them? 

Sweet Gigi is a senior Shepherd Mix who is super friendly and smart. She loves to be around people and is good with other dogs, and she needs some extra love as she lives out her golden years.

As a senior pup, Gigi deals with joint pain and is on a few daily medications. She doesn’t do well with stairs, so a home without steep steps would be ideal. We’re also hoping her fur-ever home will be with someone patient and strong, who can give her an occasional boost on her walks. 

Update as of December 20, 2023: Baby Boy has been adopted!

Handsome Baby Boy is also looking for a new home. A neutered, mellow senior cat who loves attention, Baby Boy hasn’t lived with other pets, but would likely be fine with other calm and friendly pets in the home. He is healthy and would make a wonderful, low-maintenance animal companion.

If you are interested in adopting either of these pets, please click here to download and complete our Adoption Application and email it to Liz.Raganella@pawsny.org. We’re hoping to find them fur-ever homes in the NYC area.

The post Adoption Needs at PAWS NY appeared first on Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY.

From the Letter from our Executive Director and Board Chair:

As the team at PAWS NY reflects on the past year, we are overwhelmed with gratitude for the unwavering support of our generous community. Your commitment to our mission of keeping New Yorkers in need together with their beloved pets has made all the difference. Together, we have truly helped to improve the lives of all we serve. That is why we are pleased to present this year’s Annual Report with a summary of all the impactful initiatives that we were able to provide to the NYC community due to your generosity.

This past year was a busy one for PAWS NY, as we continued to expand our programs and reach across New York City. We hired Elia Rangel as a new Intake Coordinator to help with outreach in the outer boroughs, and Adrianna Ruiz joined the team as Foster Administrator, helping with Hospital Respite foster cases and launching the new Substance Use Recovery Program.

Additionally, PAWS NY once again hosted our annual Barks & Blooms Spring Benefit at the Monarch Rooftop, raising more than $168,000 thanks to the generosity of our community and a special gift from the ASPCA. We also participated in more than 16 community and volunteer service events across NYC, debuted an animated short created by Klick Health called The Bridge, and saw some great press coverage from PIX11 News, All for Animals TV / 1010WINS, and more.

On behalf of the staff and board at PAWS NY, we thank each and every one of you for your support and partnership. None of our work would be possible without you and our incredible network, and we are proud of all that has been achieved. You inspire us every day!

Click here to download the PDF of the full Annual Report.

The post The PAWS NY Annual Report for FY 2023 appeared first on Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY.

Kathryn

“I think we all need that sense of companionship and it’s really beautiful that we can help people keep that. New York City can be a lonely place and being able to have your cat or dog—or guinea pig—is incredible.”

 

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Samuel:

“I had just lost my dog and we missed her so much. We weren’t ready to get another dog. This organization is such a great way to help people, help dogs, and help me spend more time with dogs.”

 

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Heather:

“It’s the relationship. It’s the relationship that you form with the client. The relationship you form with the pet. And really knowing that the work we’re doing at PAWS is keeping them together.”

 

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Kelly:

“Bella is just the sweetest, smartest, best dog ever. I walk her one hour at a time and the hour goes by so fast.”

 

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Diana:

“I love Laura! We met and we had an instant connection. Laura and I now see each other most days. She helps me; she’s going to teach me embroidery. I lost my mother a few years ago and I value Laura so much. She fills a void in my life. Now they are really part of my family.”

 

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Stress Relief

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Volunteering reduces stress and increases positive, relaxed feelings by releasing dopamine. By spending time in service to others, volunteers report feeling a sense of meaning and appreciation, both given and received, which can have a stress-reducing effect.”

Expand Your Community

As a volunteer, particularly with an organization such as PAWS NY, you get to meet new people and build relationships with the individuals—and pets—you’re helping. You can also get to know your fellow volunteers, and all of this builds up the social safety net and friendships across the board.

Get Happy!

Researchers at the London School of Economics found that people become happier by volunteering more: “Volunteering has a positive, causal influence on self-reported happiness,” they found. Other researchers measured hormones and brain activity, to discover that being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure.

Animal Love

Particularly as a volunteer with PAWS NY, you also gain all the benefits of interacting with pets!

Specifically, research has indicated that pet guardianship and the Human-Animal Bond (HAB) can help reduce fear, anxiety, and stress-related parameters such as cortisol, heart rate, and blood pressure; increase trustworthiness of and trust toward other persons; enhance levels of empathy towards others; and improve physical health, especially cardiovascular health.

In honor of World Kindness Day, which is November 13, sign up to volunteer—with PAWS NY or another worthwhile nonprofit organization—to reap the benefits and bring more kindness into this world!

The post The Benefits of Volunteering appeared first on Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY.

David with Harpo and Quasi

The PAWS NY team is growing, and we recently hired David Merrell as our Institutional Giving Manager, focusing on grants and other forms of institutional support.

After working in both banking and creative writing, David eventually ended up working as a grant writer, which combines fundraising and writing—and helping others! A proud dog guardian, David has had pets all his life and understands the value they bring to our lives. He’s excited to bring it all together in this new role at PAWS NY, and we’re glad to have him helping us raise more money to help even more New Yorkers and pets.

Read more about David and his two pups in his full Q&A below!

What has your career been like leading up to PAWS NY? How did you make your way into the nonprofit world?

I have a background in banking and creative writing, two completely different worlds! In banking I learned customer service and sales skills, but ultimately wanted to explore my creative side and help people. After graduating from New York University with a degree in Creative Writing and Literature, I wrote various pieces while also working as a dog walker and sitter for dozens of canines over New York City. Having volunteered for various nonprofits in the past, as well as working as a grant writer for a nonprofit that breaks cycles of poverty, I am now excited to be working for PAWS NY, an organization that helps people and animals.

What about this position and organization attracted you? Why are you excited to be on the PAWS NY staff?

I have been passionate about animals my entire life, having grown up with dogs and cats. I also know how important and valuable pets are as a wonderful support to humans. Throughout the years I have witnessed individuals going through life circumstances that make it difficult for them to take care of their own pets. When I learned about PAWS and what they offer, my heart sang. I am thrilled to join the PAWS NY team and help vulnerable New Yorkers and their pets!

Tell us about your pets, both past & present.

I am a proud guardian of two dogs, Harpo and Quasi. I met them fifteen years ago at a rescue event. I learned they are brothers who were found on the streets alone and had stuck together. They immediately jumped in my lap, and I adopted them both, as I didn’t want to separate them. They have been my wonderful support ever since! They are about to turn 16 years old. I also grew up with two dogs, Puppins and Coco, and a cat named Frisco, who lived to be 21!

Did you grow up in NYC? If not, when did you move here? Where do you live now?

I grew up in Seattle, Washington. I moved to New York nine years ago and live in Midtown Manhattan.

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

The arts and creativity! I love the various museums, musicals, plays, shows, dance, opera, and experimental art that the city holds. Never a dull moment, I see art on just about every corner of this incredible city that has so much diversity and inclusion, where artists from all over the world, from different ages, race, and gender identities tell their story.

What are your hobbies? What do you like to do in your free time?

I love pop culture! Movies, music, concerts, tv, books, I love a good story. One of my favorite things to do is binge watch a great show with my two dogs by my side.

Anything else you’d like to share with the PAWS NY community?

I am so excited to join this incredible organization and fantastic team! My two dogs are thrilled as well, and hopefully they’ll come in to work one of these days!

We can’t wait to meet Harpo and Quasi in person and are thrilled to have you on board, David!

The post Staff Spotlight: David appeared first on Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY.

NEW YORK, April 18, 2023 – Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY debuted its first Spanish-language promotional video this month, building even more connections within the Spanish-speaking community in New York City.

A 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, PAWS NY helps older adults and individuals living with illness or disability take care of their pets, by providing volunteers to help with daily pet care needs, coordinating veterinary care, managing a Pet Pantry, and facilitating foster and emergency care when New Yorkers are hospitalized and need someone to care for their pets. Thanks to dedicated bilingual staff members, the organization has been able to provide services to more Spanish-speaking New Yorkers in recent years. As a response, PAWS NY has increased its outreach in the community as well, working to find both individuals in need of support and Spanish-speaking volunteers to provide services.

“Our amazing Bilingual Program Manager Victoria Leon has been instrumental in helping us connect with more New Yorkers, especially those for whom Spanish is their first language,” said Rachel Herman, the Founder and Executive Director of PAWS NY. “We provide information about our programs and services in Spanish on our website (www.pawsny.org/espanol) and via printed materials, and this video is the latest project that supports our goal of being more inclusive and accessible to all New Yorkers.”

The video, which can be found on the PAWS NY YouTube channel, was created by George Irizarry of Cosmo Street Editorial and features video footage by Levi Barrie, photography by David Andrako, and voiceover work by Victoria Leon.

PAWS NY has also submitted the project to the 2023 Maddie’s Fund Open Arms Challenge. This annual program within the animal welfare space encourages related organizations to pilot new approaches that open doors to new clients, adopters, community members, and volunteers, leveraging our resources to welcome the entire community and make animal welfare inclusive and accessible to all.

“New Yorkers speak more than 200 languages, according to nyc.gov, and we are hopeful that PAWS NY will one day be able to provide services in many different languages,” Herman said. “For now, we are thrilled to provide robust support to those who speak English and Spanish—two of the top languages in NYC—and this video provides one more piece of that puzzle with regards to that outreach.”

If you’d like to learn more about PAWS NY or sign up to volunteer, please visit our website at www.pawsny.org or www.pawsny.org/espanol.

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About PAWS NY

The mission of PAWS NY is to help New York City’s most vulnerable residents remain with their pets by delivering critical programs and services through a community of partners and volunteers. Our programs help keep pets in their homes while protecting and promoting the human-animal bond that is so physically and psychologically valuable to our clients.  Thus, our motto: helping people by helping pets. To learn more, visit www.pawsny.org.

Related Links:
http://www.pawsny.org
http://www.pawsny.org/espanol
https://youtu.be/x9FSsreVnDA

———-

Contact:

Kimberly Green
(o): 212-203-4760, x304
(e): Kimberly.Green@pawsny.org

The post PAWS NY Releases Spanish-Language Video as Part of Maddie’s Fund Open Arms Challenge appeared first on Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY.

We consistently appreciate the support and dedication of the amazing PAWS NY community. Your steadfast commitment to our work has helped us to successfully navigate the turmoil brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is inspiring to work alongside you as we strive to help people and their beloved animal companions remain together as families.

The highlight of the year was the reopening of the PAWS NY Housecall Program, which had been suspended for 18 months. This phased reopening of our cornerstone program began in September 2021, and we implemented new protocols to ensure the safety of all our clients and volunteers. Our team worked diligently throughout the year to bring PAWS NY and our fantastic volunteers back into the homes of those we serve. We are so proud of our staff, clients, and volunteers for helping to ensure this challenging implementation was such a success.

Another accomplishment was the return to an in-person Spring Benefit. We are thrilled to have had the opportunity to come together in person with friends for the first time in more than three years. As we celebrated together with the beautiful NYC skyline as our backdrop, PAWS NY experienced a record-breaking fundraising event, helping us continue to serve New Yorkers and their pets as we move into 2023 and beyond.

On behalf of the staff and board at PAWS NY, we thank each and every one of you for your support and partnership. None of our work would be possible without you and our incredible network, and we are proud of all that has been achieved. You inspire us every day!

Click here to read the full Annual Report.

The post Presenting the PAWS NY Annual Report for FY 2022 appeared first on Pets Are Wonderful Support (PAWS) NY.