Paws n’ Cause – a short history!
It’s been scientifically proven that stroking a cat can slow and regulate theheart rate, that having a pet in your life, especially if from early on, can add 10 years to it. Pets, and in particular dogs, trigger “feel good hormones” in us. It seems that companion animals are the unsung heroes in our lives. Without our notice they are making it better every single day with every purr and wagging tail, . Unfortunately,they are often abused, ill treated or abandoned.
“The benefits of pet ownership are real — physically, mentally and psychosocially,” confirms Dr. Daniel Joffe, a Calgary veterinarian who specializes in companion animals. Dr. Joffe points out that Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) has been shown in dozens of studies to reduce loneliness and improve health in many different kinds of patients. People in high stress jobs that have pets are less likely to suffer from heart attacks than those who don’t and with better results than most meds on the market.
“We have an innate, instinctual bond with animals,” explains Dr. Margaret Schneider, Associate Professor of Counselling Psychology at the Ontario Institute of Studies in Education, who specializes in human-animal interaction. Psychiatrists have studied that link for decades and incorporated it into treatment strategies; even the mere presence of an animal in the room can accelerate progress in mental health patients.
So is it any surprise then, that our other unsung heroes, our men and women in uniform fighting a war overseas, find themselves drawn to rescuing and bonding with a stray kitten or puppy? No it isn’t. This simple act shows us the beauty of their nurturing souls, and the real need to ease the heart ache of that profound loneliness that comes from being not only in constant danger, but also far away from home and loved ones.
That was the nature of the discovery made by Sonja Lishchynski and Nadine Husain, when they stumbled upon a post, on a blog about a young soldier, devastated over leaving behind a small, stray kitten he had been caring for while overseas in Afghanistan. It seemed like such a simple request,such a small thing: bring a friend and source of comfort home. In the end the soldier did manage to raise the funds and bring the cat back to Canada. Little did he know his plight had pulled on the heart strings of these two young women so much that they researched and found out the sad reality … he was far from alone. Many soldiers were struggling to raise funds to purchase normal air fare and passage for these animals because military transportation will not allow them on board. This also meant a need for money for temporary shelter, vaccination, and quarantine at the end of the long and treacherous road.
This led to finding Nowzad, an amazing organization working out of Afghanistan and Iraq. They had managed to help Canadian, Dutch, American, and other soldiers to bring home stray puppies and kittens all the while continuing their incredible work towards starting a desperately needed trap, neuter, release and education program in Afghanistan. The only way they raised funds, was through donations and their big event was an international dog walk once a year that aimed to span the kilometres (of all that participated collectively) between the UK and Afghanistan.
Ms. Lishchynski and Ms. Husain decided to try to organize one in Ottawa. As the planning started, questions flew back and forth over e-mail between the two. Why stop at one dog walk and one pet related cause? And what about those companion animals closer to home? And why not reach out internationally and more often? The idea for Paws ‘n Cause as an event coordinating organization for pet related charities was born. Two walks a year it would be! Many chapters would be needed, but they had to start with one small foot – or paw – first.
This fall, on October 2nd, 2010, you are invited to join the Paws ‘n Cause founders as they host their maiden event – the charity dog walk for Nowzad. With or without a dog anyone is welcome for a $15 donation. The meeting point is at Stanley Park in New Edinburgh at 2:00 pm rain or shine! For all the details, to sign up or donate, visit their website.
After all, doesn’t the military say “leave no woman, child or man behind”? Well, for all the unconditional love and comfort they provide … that should go for military pets too.
We sincerely hope to see you all there!
