You Make Pawsitive Partnerships Possible!

Hand in Paw Teams inspire the next generation of animal advocates.

Thanks to you, Hand in Paw had the opportunity to partner with the Greater Birmingham Humane Society during their summer Critter Camp. This inclusive summer camp nurtures compassion for all living beings through interactive activities, humane education, and hands-on exercises with youth. During “PAWS Camp”, campers ages from 6-12 learned about animal behavior and positive reinforcement techniques. Hand in Paw Therapy Teams demonstrated the importance of socialization, consistent training, and how to build a trusting relationship with their furry teammate.

HIP Therapy Teams were eager to share their firsthand experiences volunteering in our community through Animal-Assisted Activities and Animal-Assisted Therapy. Each team told their story of what inspired them to do therapy work with their dogs, how they trained together to become a Hand in Paw team, and what they like best about this special type of volunteer work. HIP staff led a lively discussion on ways in which dogs communicate with humans. Campers shared examples of how their pets communicate with them through body language, eye contact, and vocalization.

Kids are experiencing the powerful human-animal bond, thanks to you! Fun Fact: Jake the therapy dog was adopted from GBHS!

Everyone was so excited when Hand in Paw visited Critter Camp – some campers already knew about HIP and some got to learn about therapy animals for the first time. The teams that visited really helped our PAWS Campers understand the importance of therapy animals, their handlers, and the training that they go through to be able to help people! It was really special, and we can’t wait to have Hand in Paw back at Critter Camp next year!

Kasey Rawlings, Outreach and Education Coordinator GBHS

Kiersten Atkinson, Director of Volunteers and Programs at Hand in Paw says,

It’s wonderful to see Hand in Paw come full circle to where our founder, Beth Franklin, was motivated to create the first Animal Assisted Therapy organization in Birmingham. The positive relationships that Beth witnessed between youth and animals at GBHS were the first inspiration of Hand in Paw and will remain a legacy.

It’s so exciting to collaborate with local nonprofits and support each other’s missions. We are so thankful for you, our donors and volunteers, who make these partnerships possible!

Help Hand in Paw partner with more facilities by making a donation using the envelope provided or visit handinpaw.org/donate.