Volunteers Make Blankets For Pets
In the spring of 2019, Penny Layne of Manor fostered a dog named Buttons who gave birth to seven puppies but couldn’t nurse them. When she asked Facebook friends for help, 54 people volunteered to take shifts bottle feeding the puppies every two hours for four weeks.
“Then I got a call about a dog with 10 puppies who had a broken pelvis,” she said. “One of our volunteers made blankets and sent them home with all the puppies when they were adopted.”
Two weeks later, one of the adopters learned that her dog, coincidentally named Penny, had to have her leg amputated. That dog also got a blanket, and the person who made it prayed over it.
“That was our first prayer blanket and when I mentioned it to friends, they all wanted to help,” Layne said. “So we started doing it for other people.”
That was the beginning of Pet Prayer Blankets, a non-profit that she founded last August for the purpose of “wrapping pets in love, comfort and prayer while also supporting the families who are going through difficult times.”
The next month, Layne got a dog that 17 hours later gave birth to a premature puppy that weighed just 2.6 ounces and had to be fed with formula soaked on a sponge. She got her own prayer blanket.
The little Chihuahua mix that Layne named Punkin grew to weigh four pounds and became the group’s mascot.
The project caught on fast. There are nearly 1,700 Facebook followers that include about 40 people who make blankets, teams who deliver or ship them, and followers who post pictures and stories about their pets who receive blankets. Sometimes they just want prayers for their sick or dying pets, or to share the sad news of their losses.
So far, volunteers have made 2,300 blankets for shelters, rescues and individuals. One was for a 350-pound pig named Wally, and 110 little hideaways went to a guinea pig rescue. Some blankets are sent out of state, and one went to Ireland.
Before COVID-19 curtailed gatherings, volunteers held monthly socials at the Trafford American Legion. Linda Riley of Unity Township joined in November.
“I love animals and I admire people who get involved in rescue,” she said. “I didn’t feel like I could devote time to rescue, so I saw this as a way to help animals in need and people who had animals who were sick and needed a support network.”
The blankets are made of two layers of fleece fabric, usually one side solid and the other side with patterns. They’re cut to three sizes and fringes are cut around the four sides. There’s no sewing involved and the edges are finished in three different styles. It takes less than an hour to make a small one and about an hour and a half to finish a medium size.
Riley has made nearly 50 blankets.
“This really makes me feel like we are a community,” she said. “I feel like I’m contributing to other pet owners and it gives me peace of mind to know that I’m doing something to help others. I’ve had a lot of animals and I know that the hardest time of being a pet parent is having to make that horrible decision when it’s time to let hem go. That was rough and I would have appreciated a community like this when I needed them.”
Kathy Galembush of Irwin has been involved since the beginning.
“I’m retired and I like to sew,” she said. “I made fleece blankets for some friends with cancer, and I thought I could put my sewing and crafting skills to good use for a good cause.”
Galembush has a Golden Retriever therapy dog named Brandi that she takes to family court at the Westmoreland County Courthouse.
“We really support each other,” she said about the prayer blanket group. “I get a lot of enjoyment bringing somebody comfort, and that has comforted me.”
Pam Wolfe of Hempfield Township received a blanket for her dog Carly, a 12-year-old poodle/beagle mix who has cataracts, hip problems and mobility issues. The blue and white blanket that was delivered within a couple of hours, helps the dog to get comfortable in her bed.
“This is a very loving and accepting group and they go out of their way to help people and animals in need,” Wolfe said. “They take a lot of time out of their lives to provide comfort when people need it, and to help them get through the hard times of a dog’s senior years. I know that lots of people put thoughts and prayers into the blanket and it was from the heart.”
Amanda Ross of Southwest Greensburg has a blue nose pit bull named Bailey who has seizures.
“The blanket I got has puppy dogs and paws all over it, and I have it at the end of my bed where she sleeps,” Ross said. “I recently got a husky named Nala who was having a hard time adjusting to our house, and I got a blanket for her.”
Dog trainer Maria Dillman of Hempfield Township founded TJ’s Hideaway Rescue, owns The Hideaway Kennel and is an animal control officer. She takes in stray dogs and cats with her friend Lisa Duffy of Irwin, who runs Cross Your Paws in Irwin.
“We rescued Coda at 10:30 one night and he was completely emaciated, just skin and bones, and he was a broken soul,” Dillman said. “Someone from the prayer blanket group saw his picture and story and offered to send him a blanket. He was adopted by a young couple with a new house and plenty of love to give.”
As a trainer, Dillman is committed to rehabilitating strays and other discarded dogs so that she can “find the perfect match for them.” Nine out of ten dogs coming in are injured, she noted, and all of them “deserve a chance.” Layne and her volunteers have been supplying them with blankets.
“They are quality blankets and you can tell that they’re made with love,” Dillman said. “It’s nice that they give each special little soul their own gift from the Lord.”
Each blanket comes with a prayer card. Individuals receive one with the message, “Dear Father, I ask that you would be beside this pet that lays on this blanket. Please bring your touch of restoration and healing. Take away any pain and come whisper your love to them.”
The majority of blankets are donated to shelters and rescues. The cards that accompany those reads, “Father, please look after (animal’s name). Make sure that he/she adapts quickly to his/her new home and receives lots of love and attention, if it be thy will.”
Layne is grateful for all the help that the group receives. A person in Apollo donated about $2,500 worth of fleece that she didn’t need, and a youngster named Gauge Klook in North Huntingdon set up a lemonade stand to raise money for the project. Some other children make cards that go with the blankets.
Layne is a nationally certified dog trainer and teaches programs in bite prevention and dog and baby safety. She and her husband Shawn Murtha are certified pet loss counselors who offer group meetings and individual sessions for people who are grieving. She welcomes volunteers and supporters to the blanket group and followers who want to talk about their pets.
Therapy Dog Visits
Therapy dogs, including herding mix Blake, Labrador retriever mix Abby and cairn terrier Suzy Q, brought smiles to Leavenworth County Emergency Medical Services personnel when Fort Leavenworth Human Animal Bond, Inc. attended three days of appreciation luncheons for EMS technicians July 7-9 in Leavenworth.
The event was meant to thank personnel for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to make up for the absence of the normal appreciation events during National EMS Week in May. The HAB visits and cookouts were offered over three days to accommodate EMS shifts.
“Normally hospitals invite us over for cookouts and stuff like that, and they really weren’t able to participate in anything like that,” said Brian Bailey, Leavenworth County EMS assistant director. “The hospitals did deliver here so that was pretty cool, but we really wanted to do something extra.
“These guys have had to be in N95 masks and gowns and gloves and goggles in the vast majority of our patient contacts, and we just wanted to do something as a thank you to them for suffering through this with that equipment on and doing a great job in it,” he said. Bailey organized the cookout with Pat Morey, Leavenworth County EMS operations manager, and Michelle Westfall, Leavenworth EMS training officer, coordinated with HAB, an organization comprised of teams of volunteers and their therapy-certified pets.
“It felt like (HAB) would be a really good addition,” Westfall said.
Bailey agreed.
“They say everyone’s blood pressure drops when you pet dogs, so, if nothing else, we’re providing them a break from the day,” he said.
Candy Bowman, HAB director, said she and the other volunteers were happy to bring their dogs for a visit.
“It’s something different, something to bring some smiles and some emotional happiness to everything that has been stressful and maybe not the best news for everybody,” Bowman said.
“(It’s an opportunity) to just let them relax and say thanks for everything they have done and continue to do and will continue to do.”
Misty Sargent, Leavenworth County EMS support, said the EMS personnel were excited for the visit.
“Who doesn’t love dogs?” she asked.
Natalie McGinnis, paramedic, said the visit made her day.
“(The dogs) are very comforting, and I feel like they’re all knowing and embrace you,” McGinnis said. “Just like when you have a hard day and come through the door and they greet you.” Jack Stallbaumer, paramedic, said he thought that the effort of the event showed that the administrators appreciate their hard work. Stallbaumer spent some of the cookout showing his appreciation for the dogs by bestowing head rubs and belly scratches.
Dads Mission To Get Therapy Dog
A Devon dad is cycling from London to Torquay in a bid to raise money for a therapy dog which he hopes will transform the life of his son.
Jake Kettle, 16, has been diagnosed with autism, sensory processing disorder, OCD and anxiety.
For Jake it means the outside world is a scary place and he now rarely leaves his home in Torquay.
Since hearing about Bale’s Buddies, a Newton Abbot based not for profit organisation which provides families, schools and other settings dealings with autism and additional needs with therapy dogs to enhance their lives, his parents Jason and Melissa have started fundraising for one.
The overall cost is £6,000, but their aim is to raise £3,000 to help cover the training costs for the next two years.
If they are successful, Jake’s dog will be ready for him by October. So far they have raised more than £2,000 since launching a Crowdfunder online.
Keen cyclist Jason, 49, is embarking on the 225 mile challenge tomorrow, June 10, with friend Matt Langworthy, 23, of Combeinteignhead.
He said: “I’ve done anything like this challenge before. We will be setting off in London at around 5.30am and it will be 11.5 hours of rigid, plus stops in between.
“About two thirds of the route is flat as a pancake so it will be better than what we are used to living in Devon. We have just got to remember to eat a lot!
“We think a therapy dog will help Jake massively. We have seen him go from a seemingly normal child to one who has become slowly more withdrawn in the last 10 years.
“He doesn’t even like going out the front door as his anxiety levels are incredible.
“He massively loves dogs and there’s been a certain twinkle in his eye ever since we mentioned a therapy dog. He just can’t wait. I have never seen him so happy or focused on anything.”
Mum-of-two Melissa, of Torquay, said that as they watched their son grow they soon realised he was different from other children.
She recalled: “He played with toys differently and interacted differently; everything was different.
“Sounds, smells, tastes and lights over stimulated him. Routine was crucial, and any changes, however small, would send Jake into meltdown mode.
“When Jake’s teacher at the time, Miss Bellis, raised her concerns, I felt relieved as I thought at times I was going mad.”
After Jake was given a formal diagnosis, his quality of life has steadily deteriorated over the years.
Melissa said: “The outside world is a scary place for Jake. He rarely leaves home, which is his safe place, and has no friends or social life.
“These past two years have been incredibly hard for Jake. He attended a school specialising in autism which didn’t work out for him.
“He was referred to Torbay’s Medical Tuition Service which again could not meet his needs.
“The professionals then recommended Jake be home schooled.”
A big part of Jake’s life has become music. He has self taught himself to play the piano and is starting at a specialist college in September.
Melissa said: “We are desperate for Jake to live a more independent and happy life. What better way is there than a man’s best friend?
“As if it was meant to be, I bumped into two dogs in training in our local pets at home. Bale’s Buddies have become our new family.
“They will offer a training programme tailor made to meet Jakes needs. This training will be twice weekly for two years.
“Jake’s Portugese water dog will meet his emotional needs, reduce anxiety, give him a focus and responsibility in his life, and offer him companionship, and create a very special unconditional loving bond.
“Any donations would be the biggest gift of all in trying to give our son the best chance to live his best life.”
Therapy Dogs Return
The ATW Therapy dogs will return this Thursday for their first day back of volunteering. There will be five dog and handler teams at the airport for the big day.
The coronavirus pandemic has put a hold on many activities including travel plans, but as everyone works to find their level of comfort, some people are excited to be able to take a vacation or visit family in other states.
Some people have maybe always struggled with the anxiety that sometimes comes along with flying even before Covid-19. Appleton International Airport Director, Abe Weber says this program is very popular and they’re excited to have the dogs back to help ease passengers before they take off.
The program, in partnership with the Fox Valley Humane Association was halted for about four months during the height of pandemic in the United States.
Volunteers say it’s a rewarding experience to see the dogs connect with local and travelers from afar. The Director with the Fox Valley Humane Association, Vicki Prey, who is also a volunteer with her dog Lucy, says she at first couldn’t believe her rowdy four-year-old black lab mix could be a therapy dog, but after her training and now years of experience she is helping make a difference in so many people’s lives. Lucy is now a relaxed, well trained 13-year-old and continues to volunteer with her handler. If you’re interested in the Therapy dog training program, it is on hold for the time being, but organizers tell us they hope to bring it back by the end of the year or early 2021.
Victim Support K-9
The Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office is welcoming a new partner to the force, Wrigley, an 8-week-old dachshund.
Wrigley has big plans for the future in Pawnee County to work as a therapy dog for children.
Sporting an “in training” vest, Wrigley makes his rounds to visit all the workers at the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office. But he’ll soon be on the job as a victim support K9.
Wrigley sit with children who are crime victims during their interviews with law enforcement and even in court if a child has to testify.
“He’s supposed to relieve anxiety, bring just a calmness to them, make them more comfortable in a situation that’s otherwise a little traumatic,” said Administrative Deputy Lindsey Kopenhagen. “So far he seems to be fitting the bill, so we’ll see after he gets done with training.”
Kopenhagen has worked for the Pawnee County Sheriff’s Office for five years. She paid for Wrigley herself and is taking care of all his training costs and the costs that come with owning a dog.
She said when she decided to get a puppy, she knew she wanted one that could make a difference in the community.
“I was born here; I grew up here. I care a lot about this community, and I love where I’m at now. I love my job, but we don’t have a lot of resources. We’re a small county. We don’t have a lot of money coming in, so it was just an opportunity to be able to give back something,” Kopenhagen said.
Wrigley, who’s dad is also a therapy dog, goes to work with Kopenhagen every day and even has a bed under her desk.
“He’ll have introduction to new people all the time, new situations,” she said. “We’re gonna take him out to some of the functions that the reserves do, so he’s exposed to lots of different kinds of people and situations. He loves people and he’s super chill.”
Wrigley is set to start obedience training in the next month or two, then he’ll go on to a pet therapy program in Norman.
Kopenhagen says she expects Wrigley will be fully trained and certified by early 2021.
The sheriff’s office has had drug dogs in the past, but Wrigley is the county’s first therapy dog.
Pawing It Forward
Some people in Blair County were certainly “paw”ing it forward” on Thursday for the Service Paws of Central PA.
Their golf event kicked off in the afternoon at Park Hills Golf Club in Altoona.
We’re told over 50 people came out to support to nonprofit.
The Chairman of the Board Joe Fagnani said service animals can cost families thousands of dollars, and his organization wants to help them get the help they need.
“I’ve talked with a few people at different service dogs schools and as far as I know, we’re the only group that helps people purchase service dogs,” he said.
During the dinner celebration, three recent service animal recipients were be there to show donors how their support is changing lives.
Giving Bark Thursday
We all appreciate Independence Day and the freedoms we enjoy, and at the Guide Dog Foundation, we define and celebrate independence in an additional way. For close to 75 years, the foundation has provided greater independence, enhanced mobility and companionship — free of charge — through our accredited guide dog training program. However, we need your help now more than ever.
Mark your calendar for July 9 as we host our first-ever #GivingBarkThursday — a special 24-hour day of giving designed to help provide the increased mobility and independence that a guide dog offers. We need you to help mitigate the financial impact COVID-19 has had on the Guide Dog Foundation. On July 9, visit the foundation’s social media pages Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and share with your family and friends why you believe in and support the Guide Dog Foundation!
Here’s how you can help!
Print these coloring pages and color them in! On July 9, share your finished coloring page on your social media — dogs are encouraged to join in the fun — and make sure to tag @AmericasVetDogs and @WBALTVPuppy.
Join in for a special “Life with Rhonda” Q&A Zoom meeting at 1 p.m. July 9 with a VetDogs graduate and his service dog, Rhonda, to learn more about how service dogs make a positive impact on their handlers’ lives.
Share with your family and friends — let’s make this day go viral!
America’s VetDogs is the organization helping raise and train WBAL-TV’s Puppy with a Purpose, Brooks. Once trained, Brooks will be paired with a disabled veteran or first responder as a service dog to provide skills to assist them in their everyday lives. It costs America’s VetDogs $50,000 to raise, train and place a service dog with a veteran or first responder at no cost to that individual.
Dog Reunites With Firefighters
For James Verdugo, the bond he shared with his dog Sampson goes beyond a man and his best friend.
“He might just be an animal to a lot of people but to me he’s everything,” says Verdugo.
For 10 years, the English bulldog has been by his side.
The veteran says he suffers from PTSD after serving for several years in the Army and taking part in operation Iraqi Freedom. Sampson serves as his emotional support.
“I wouldn’t even want to imagine life without Sampson and without having the support of him with everything I’ve been through.”
Even after losing his home on the 4th of July weekend, Verdugo says he’s filled with gratitude after firefighters pulled his pup to safety.
As flames tore through the southeast Fresno home, it was firefighter specialist Abel Steele that found Sampson hiding behind a closet door.
“Some of the ceiling fell and it scared him back to his corner,” recalls Steele.
Aiding in a search of the home was firefighter Rob Lee, who said he was inspired to join the department when firefighters rescued his dog from a fire that destroyed his home, 21 years to the day before this fire.
“To see him breathing and happy to be back with his owner, that’s what really brings it full circle,” says Lee.
Sampson spent more than 48 hours on oxygen at 24/7 Pet Vet, making this reunion possible.
Even with the military discount the vet offered, Sampson’s hospital bill surpassed $8,000.
The community rallied behind him and his Go Fund Me page is more than halfway to meeting its goal.
“This career has a lot of great moments, a lot of bad moments, we see all of it, so to see this, the positivity it’s pretty cool,” says Lee.
Even though Sampson is in good spirits, the vet says he’ll likely have long-term effects from the smoke inhalation.
Service Dog In-Training
The future of the NHL season is still up in the air, but that’s not stopping the Minnesota Wild from making some adorable roster moves.
The team recently adopted Hobey, a 5-month-old golden retriever from Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue on a one-year training contract.
Hobey will be raised and trained to be a service dog for a veteran through the team’s Adopt-A-Dog Program, whose mission is to give a local hero a hero of their own. “We’re excited to continue our Adopt-A-Dog Program and help another rescue dog become a service dog,” said Wayne Petersen, Minnesota Wild Director of Community Relations and Hockey Partnerships. Hobey is the second dog adopted by the team from Coco’s Heart Dog Rescue. The Wild adopted Breezer last August, and the Labrador Retriever is now training with Soldier’s 6, a nonprofit based in Minnesota that provides honorably discharged veterans, police officers, and firefighters with specially trained K-9s.
Wild CFO Jeff Pellegrom and his wife Mary will foster Hobey and work on his basic obedience training until next summer. Then, the Wild pup will join Soldier’s 6 for specialized training before being permanently placed with a veteran as a “Battle Buddy.”
Hobey was born in February of this year in Wisconsin. His favorite toys are sticks, especially hockey sticks. Hobey’s position is Forward, and of course, his favorite team is the Minnesota Wild.
Rescue Support Dog
Phoenix police dispatchers answer some of the toughest call and now, a four-legged friend with a special connection is helping answer their call.
Milo Glasser is a support dog and he’s pretty good at making friends. He’s become a good friend to many of the 911 operators with the Phoenix Police Department.
Myla Marovich is a communications bureau manager with the police department. Marovich says Milo brightens up the room when he walks in.
“The minute he shows up it’s, ‘Hi Milo,’ ‘Oh Milo’s here,’ you can tell the mood has changed,” Marovich said.
Julie Brewer is a therapy and service dog trainer with the FETCH Foundation. She helped train Milo.
“When they’re working a long shift and taking a lot of difficult calls, just having a dog there they can hug or pet can relieve that stress and anxiety,” Brewer said. “Milo walks freely throughout the call center. They can wave at him, they can call him over. He can plop under somebody’s desk and nap for a bit.”
But before Milo became a support dog, and went through a lot of training with the FETCH Foundation, he was already a part of the Phoenix Police Department’s extended family.
“He brings comfort and happiness to the people he gets to work with now, and Officer Glasser was able to do the same thing,” Marovich said.
Marovich says Milo was a rescue dog in Officer David Glasser’s family. After Officer Glasser was killed in the line of duty back in 2016, Milo became a part of her family.
“It’s been humbling and satisfying that we just thought he was going to be our family dog and now his legacy has gone so much farther than that,” Marovich said.
Glasser’s legacy is also shared next to his serial number on Milo’s vest.
“’Love you,’ that was what Dave Glasser told everybody that he worked with on a daily basis,” Marovich said.
It’s a message the Phoenix police department still gets to see today, thanks to their friend, Milo.
