“We’re sometimes at the darkest moment and in walks the light – and it happens to have four legs and a tail,” says Kelsey Burton, exec. dir. of Paws and Think. Burton tells Sarah Shaver about the agency which began 20-yrs ago when Gayle Hutchens employed therapy dogs to help her husband manage Parkinson's disease. The Paws and Think slogan “every person, every dog” means that every person who could benefit from a therapy dog should have one -- and every dog should be able to fulfill their potential. Burton discussed their animal-assisted intervention therapy dogs, Paws for Comfort dogs for crisis situations and the Youth Canine Program which pairs at-risk kids and teens with shelter dogs labeled with behavior problems. Volunteers are thoroughly trained and become a therapy team with their dog. Paws and Think plans its own dedicated training space in 2023.
Closer Look weblink may be shared or posted to social media and/or organization website, but audio may not be duplicated, altered or re-broadcast without prior approval. May not be used for organizational fundraising purposes. (Educational Media Foundation - All Rights Reserved 2021)
Original Airdate: 5/9/2021 WQME WQRA WIKL WKLU
Sarah joined EMF in 2019 and covers portions of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia including major markets Indianapolis and Detroit.
