Kids Helping Animals Newsletter


	Fall 2008

Photo of 12 year-old Simon, our top youth fundraiser.

Youth Spotlight

At PAWSwalk this year, 12-year-old Simon was our top youth fundraiser. He raised a total of $857 for the animals at PAWS. That will help pay for food and litter for all the cats and kittens at PAWS for more than 3 weeks! Simon has helped his family care for two cats, a puppy, a tortoise, a frog, some snakes, and a Bearded Dragon (a kind of lizard). Simon is clearly a friend to all animals big and small. PAWS needs donations from people like Simon to care for needy animals. Great work Simon!

Know some cool kids helping animals? Tell us about them at PAWSkids.org!

Dear Riley,

There are Raccoons that are always in the backyard eating my cat's food. How can I stop them so that my cat has food to eat when he is outside?

From,
Jake, age 8

Hello Jake,

Great question! The first thing you should do is move your cat's food inside. It is not healthy or safe for Raccoons to eat cat food. You should also move your cat inside. This way your cat will not have to fight for his food and will be safer from other outdoor dangers.

Your friend,
Riley Raccoon

Have a question for Riley? Send him your question and he will try to answer it. You can e-mail him at Riley@paws.org.

Saving Lilly by Peg Kehret

Photo of Saving Lilly book by Peg Kehret.

While doing research for a school report, Erin Wrenn learns about the un-kind treatment of circus animals. When her school announces that her class will be taking a field trip to the circus, Erin is upset and decides to get her class together to convince the school that this is not the right thing to do. Read this book and be inspired!

Got a favorite animal book?
Tell Riley all about it. We may review it in the Kids Helping Animals newsletter.

Fun Facts: Owls

These owls are called Barn Owls. These are 3 of the 50 sick, injured or orphaned owls PAWS cared for this last year.

In 23 years, PAWS Wildlife Center has treated 11 different species of owls.
Owls have the ability to turn their heads up to 270 degrees. That is almost a full circle!
Owls have large eyes that help them see well in low light and also have a very good sense of hearing. They fly silently, too! These characteristics make them amazing hunters.

Waiting for the Purrfect Fit

After 17 years together, Jim and Mira's cat sadly passed away. A few months later, they decided they were ready to open their hearts and home to another cat. They decided to adopt one from PAWS, but at their first visit, no one seemed to be just right. Jim and Mira decided they would keep looking.

Jim came in every Friday for six weeks looking for the right pet. He wanted to find a cat that needed him and Mira as much as they needed him. He believed that when he saw the right cat, he would know.

Photo of Willard the cat. Willard came to PAWS as a stray. Like most cats, he did not know what to think of shelter life and was scared and shy. Then he came down with a kitty cold and had to go to the PAWS sick animal ward. With extra care and a little patience, Willard began to get more comfortable around people and let his real personality show. Soon he began to show off his own special talent-dancing! When Willard wanted attention he would sit on his hind legs, put his paws together, and move them up and down. It was so cute!

On June 6, Jim came to PAWS like he did every Friday. But this time he found himself spending a long time watching a beautiful black cat with green eyes. As he walked toward the cat, the cat sat up and began to dance! It was Willard! Jim knew this was the cat for him and that his long search was over.

The next day, Jim and Mira came to adopt Willard. Their long search was finally over, but was worth the wait to find their new friend who was perfect for their home. A decision to take on the responsibility of caring for an animal cannot be rushed, and they were happy that their patience paid off.

If you and your family are thinking of getting a pet, take your time. Learn about what that pet needs, ask an adoption counselor at a shelter for advice, and make sure that the new pet will be a good fit for you and your family. That way you will enjoy a long, happy relationship.

Career Corner: Expert Matchmakers

At PAWS, we want every animal in our care to find the best home, and for people to find the right pet for their families. That is why our Adoption Counselors have such an important job at PAWS. Adoption

Photo of an adoption counselor getting to know Dane's personality.

counselors take care of the animals by feeding them, exercising them, and providing them with lots of love. They also spend time with the animals to get to know their personalities---do they like to play with toys, sit on a person's lap or run?

Adoption counselors talk to people when they come to adopt from PAWS to help them decide if the animal they are interested in is a good match. For example, if a family likes to go camping, hiking and enjoys lots of other outdoor activities, they will want a dog with a little more energy. A dog who prefers more quiet time would not be a good fit. Sometimes adoption counselors will suggest another animal that might be a better fit for a family. You might say that PAWS' adoption counselors are expert animal matchmakers and care givers. There are a lot of careers that help animals. If you like the idea of helping needy cats and dogs find the right loving home, consider becoming an adoption counselor!

Vocabulary

Did you notice the green words in this newsletter? These are vocabulary words that may be new to you. Below you can find each word with its definition.

Adopt: To bring into one's family and keep or raise as one of their own.
Animal Ward: A place where sick animals are separated from healthy ones while they get better.
Donation: A gift of money or of items to a group that helps others with no expectation of getting something in return.
Fundraiser: A person who raises donations for a group that helps others.
Orphaned: An animal or person who has lost his or her home or family.
Stray: An animal who is lost or has no home, often wandering on the streets alone.

Want more ideas? Check out PAWSkids.org!

Kids Helping Animals is published by the Humane Education Program of the Progressive Animal Welfare Society (PAWS). A Northwest leader in protecting animals since 1967, PAWS shelters homeless animals, rehabilitates injured and orphaned wildlife, and empowers people to demonstrate compassion and respect for animals in their daily lives.