PAWS Magazine

Issue 40, Winter 1999

From the heart

When people ask me why I want to work to help animals when there are so many areas where people need help, I can’t help feeling a little defensive. To think that we must solve all "people" problems before we can tackle anything else is absurd to me. After all, suffering is suffering and anything we can do to alleviate it in any area is something we simply have to do.

Animals have always been an important part of my life. My family has always had companion animals and as an adult, I now have five of my own. Bud, my black lab, lies at my feet in front of the heater as I type this, hoping that I am secretly eating something and that I will manage to drop it. My cats Callie and JenniPurr are watching me from the top of the dryer where it is also warm. My two other dogs Patsy and Spuds are outside in the backyard on squirrel patrol. I can see them from my window, patiently waiting for some unsuspecting squirrel to run across the top of the fence.

When I think of the joy these wonderful friends bring to my life, I am so grateful for the opportunity to give something back to the animals of the world through my work with PAWS. Bud, Callie, JenniPurr, Patsy and Spuds are lucky in that they have regular meals, veterinary care, and shelter as well as lots of love. Not all animals are so blessed and it is those animals that I have the opportunity to help through PAWS. PAWS is able to do things that I could never do on my own — from nursing orphaned baby opossums to advocating for gray whales. The dedicated staff work in many areas to alleviate suffering and I see my role as a PAWS board member to do everything I can to facilitate their work. That means that I help set policy for PAWS’ direction and help raise funds to enable the staff to move in that direction.

In 1999, the PAWS Board will finish their strategic planning process which will guide PAWS in the Year 2000 and for several years beyond. We will also be continuing to look for ways to raise money — because frankly, we never have enough. There is always more that could be done if we had more money. As the President of the PAWS Board, I am committed to helping board members work effectively together while moving through the planning process. I will work hard to make this a productive year, so that when all said and done, we can truly say that PAWS is ready for the new millennium. As members, I hope you will continue to support the work of PAWS and that together, we can be successful in alleviating suffering wherever we find it.

Best wishes,