PAWS of CNY has sent teams to the Psychiatric floors of Upstate Hospital. These animals have made a tremendous positive effect on the adults there. Many times the patients there will talk to a dog but not a person. For many, petting a dog is calming and soothing. Dogs don't judge, they don't give answers and they don't analyze. They just make those that need a bit of help feel a whole lot better.PAWS comes and expects nothing in return. It really is the best relief for a bad day. Thank you Paws
PAWS of CNY is an amazing organization. We (my dog and I) have been volunteering with them for 7 years now, and absolutely LOVE every minute. We have met some wonderful people through this organization, and also through the community that we serve.
I first volunteered with my Tyson, he became a therapy dog and I saw first hand the impact this organization has made to people’s lives. I now am proud to serve on the Board of Directors.
I am a donor and past volunteer. I worked with Boomer and Amy Dumas at local grade schools in their reading program and at the SUNY Oswego campus. I found the benefits of this organizations program to be so beneficial for the students and me. Boomer I miss, and Amy, thank you for all you do for this group. They are awesome.
Laurie
After my husband passes away, I got a wonderful Golden Retriever puppy. We worked hard in training classes and I realized his gentleness and love for people and dogs might make him a good therapy dog. We tested for PAWS therapy dog and Brody passed. PAWS has been so rewarding for both Brody and I. He visits Upstate Hospital, the airport, the library and Jowonio Preschool each month. PAwS organization is amazing, connecting dog teams to various therapy opportunities. PAWS board and members work so hard to make wonderful therapy experiences with animals happen on a daily basis. PAWS is an outstanding non-profit serving Central New York.
This is a fantastic organization with the best two and four-legged volunteers! I am honored to serve on the board of directors.
Photo: Gus is very bored and ready to get back to visiting!
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We often join a volunteer organization to give back and help others but what I have gained from these visits is priceless. Thank you PAWS of CNY and Boomer for a 10 year lesson in what truly matters.
Photo: Boomer is enjoying a Henry and Mudge Book read by a first grader in the Oswego City School District.
I’ve volunteered for paws of cny at evaluations before and they were nothing but kind and informative. I hope one day I can train my dog to be a therapy dog so I can volunteer with a pet for this org!
I’ve volunteered for this organization since 2018 and became a member of the Board of Directors in 2020. In that time, I’ve experienced first hand how much PAWS cares about their volunteers and members of the community. But above all else, they love the animals they certify and always put their needs first and foremost. This non-profit has an amazing mission and even more amazing volunteers :)
I can’t say enough good things about PAWS of CNY and what they do for this community with their therapy work. Keep up the good work.
I was lucky to have served as a client to PAWS of CNY, their therapeutic dog services really do make a difference.
PAWS of CNY truly makes the world a better place!
PAWS of CNY is the BEST! I was so sad when they stopped visiting during the pandemic, and can’t wait to start seeing them again. They always brighten my day!
Feather and I were a team for several years with Paws of CNY! Feather enjoyed visiting the patients in hospitals, nursing homes, reading programs and other activities! She liked it best when she could play ball in the therapy room! Unfortunately Feather had to retire! But we enjoyed our time seeing the smiles of the people we would visit!
About 100 volunteers and their certified therapy pets deliver tens of thousands of smiles each year in hospitals, nursing homes, schools ,colleges, libraries, an airport and community events. I’ve visited almost all of those settings with my Labrador Retrievers Lea and people are always so appreciative and happy to see us. Great experience for all involved.
Paws is a great organization that does so much good in the community! I work for a school and enjoy it when they come to visit to let people know about all the wonderful services they can provide! They are top notch, and the dogs that they train are always calm, loving, well behaved, and a comfort to those around them!
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I learned about Paws of CNY through my daughter and through a visit from them to the school I work in. The work they do to train and bring pets into hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and many other places is invaluable to all those who benefit from having the comfort and reassurance of a loving animal at their side
PAWS of CNY is a wonderful asset to our community and they do so much. Their mission is something that is very important to me and I love it!
I love PAWS of CNY! They do amazing work for both the animals and the people of the community! We are so lucky to have them.
Can’t say enough good things about this organization . I love the staff and everything they stand for!!
PAWS of CNY is an amazing non profit, I’ve seen first hand the incredible work they do for dogs, their trainers, and their patients. The way PAWS helps people is truly inspiring and I’m glad I’m able to write this to help them out in any way I can.
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PAWS of CNY is a great program, the organization really cares about helping animals and people. Such a good cause!
Not only does PAWS have the cutest therapy pets, but they also take their jobs very seriously. I love seeing their yellow vests anywhere!
I love PAWS of CNY!!! Such a great organization full of wonderful people who just want to help others!
I have friends who volunteer for PAWS of CNY and I love their mission. Such a great organization! They truly care!
They are amazing! Love that They bring therapy dogs into schools and hospitals! Such a wonderful program
I volunteer for PAWS of CNY and they truly are an amazing organization. They not only care greatly about the dogs and cats, but all of the people involved as well. I am so happy to volunteer and will continue because I love watching the smiles on people’s faces that our cause brings!
As a volunteer since 2000 I have seen first hand the joy that the PAWS pets bring to the community, whether it be visiting someone in a hospital, long term care, or a college student or to ease airport travelers worries. These pets are the cream of the crop and volunteers go above and beyond, often traveling in the worst weather to make connections with folks that need a lift through that special pet bond that only pets can give.
PAWS of CNY provides the critical work of helping those in need benefit from the power of the human-animal bond. As a volunteer for over seven years, I saw how pet-human interactions in nursing homes, dayhab facilities, schools, airports, colleges, hospitals, and at other community organizations can help those in need of a non-judgemental ear and loving face. Anyone with a loving well-mannered dog or cat who is interested in giving back to the community should learn how they can get involved.
PAWS of CNY is a great organization providing pet therapy services to adults and children in hospitals, nursing homes, day programs, libraries, schools and an international airport in five counties in Central New York (Cayuga, Crotland, Madison, Onondaga, Oswego). It is an all volunteer organization (no paid staff) with about 100 volunteers (humans and their dog or cat). PAWS of CNY soon will be celebrating 20 years of serving the community!
PAWS of CNY are regulars at the Upstate Cancer Center. We now have six dogs that visit our patients during their treatment. PAWS of CNY has rigorous training with a specialty certificate for hospitals. They are always well behaved, know boundaries, and obey commands. We never have an issue with any of their dogs.
PAWS dogs and their owners offer comfort to many who are in need and for some, a reminder of home. There is one particular story of a patient who had been in the hospital for quite some time and they had to come to the Cancer Center for a treatment. That day we had one of our special pups and the nurses asked if we could stop by. Instantly the patient started crying saying that they missed their dog terribly and they could not see them due to their condition. There was not a dry eye among us after the visit.
Highly recommended non-profit who only train and use the best dogs suited for this type of work.
Paws of CNY offer pet therapy / wellness services throughout the region. They are the largest and most comprehensive therapy program of its kind in our area. The smiles that the animals have while interacting with the people are infectious.... And watching the people's stress melt away while interacting with the animals just makes everyone feel wonderful. I can't say enough about how this group has affected my life. I'm blessed to have found this group over 10 years ago.
I have been organizing events on my college campus with PAWS of CNY for 2 years now. This organization is filled with wonderful people (and animals) that donate their time to help "lift" others up. The de-stress events in my residence hall have had very positive impacts on students and the campus environment (especially during finals!). We love PAWS of CNY at SUNY Oswego!
A wonderful organization of great people and animals. They volunteer at so many events: Local parades, the airport, and nursing homes. This nonprofit brings Comfort to so many
PAWS of CNY is amazing... I have seen families cry while their family member who has dementia enjoy a visit and talk to a dog while the rest of the time they are silent.... I have seen cancer patients in pain smile and forget their pain for a moment while a dog snuggles with them.... I have seen a therapy cat lead a caravan of wheelchairs into a common room so everyone can exclaim how special it is to see "a cat walking on leash like a dog" and the whole room burst into laughter, then the cat walk from person to person for attention. I've seen college kids cry into a dog's mane as they are homesick for their own dog, but after a good cry they play ball with the dog and then say "thanks for the hug, I needed that . I feel so much better... Time to hit the books!" PAWS of CNY is an incredible organization.... Volunteering is one hour a month.... Who can't find an hour to give back and have fun with our furry friends?
As a member of PAWS of CNY, my dog and I have volunteered at a wide variety of venues and events. We have spent time at Syracuse University, SUNY Oswego, a local nursing home, an elementary school and a library. We have participated in wellness fairs and de-stress events. PAWS has given me the opportunity to meet many new people and make new friends. I am proud to walk into college dorms and the other sites we have visited. We are always treated well by the organizers of the events and people who we visit greatly respect our dogs. Because of our PAWS visits, my dog has gotten more belly rubs than I could ever give him!
Paws of CNY is an amazing organization. Linda and her therapy dog Gemma, along with Laura and her therapy dog Patches have brought lots of laughs and smiles to the faces of the children at Moms & Kids Childcare Cooperative. Sometimes being apart from mom can cause young children separation anxiety and lots of tears, but not when you are busy petting one of these sweet, gentle therapy dogs! Thank you so much for your cuddles Paws of CNY, we really appreciate all that you do!
PAWS of CNY visited SUNY Oswego's Johnson Hall during finals week during the fall 2016 semester, this event did a great job of lifting the spirts of the residents! The dogs came and gave the students time to relax and de-stress with extremely friendly furry friends, we plan to make this a continously event during final weeks! Absolutely love this organization!
As a past member and as the current President of SUNY Oswego's Psychology club, we have had many experiences with PAWS of CNY and each were incredible. Often we request the dogs to come in for our members before finals week to de-stress and enjoy themselves beforehand. The animals and their owners are all respectful, kind, and very knowledgeable about their work. They are always friendly when answering our questions. We are very lucky to have a connection with them!!
PAWS Of CNY Inc. was an absolute pleasure to work with. I previously worked as a Residence Hall Director at SUNY Oswego and brought them into my residence hall once a semester from 2011 to 2014. The volunteers were excellent to schedule, plan, and communicate with. PAWS was by far my easiest outside group to work with.
The actual service they provided to our students was immeasurable. I worked primarily with first-year college students who were struggling with being away from home for the first time, trying to handle the stresses of college-level academic work, and many of whom were simultaneously struggling with a wide-range of mental health issues. Every time PAWS would come in, our students would light up. Afterwards, they'd tell me that interacting with the dogs (and their volunteer handlers) was the highlight of their semester and that they could feel the emotional weight lift off their shoulders.
I would highly recommend PAWS of CNY Inc. to any Central New York college or university, as well as to other organizations such as schools, hospitals, etc.
I work at SUNY Oswego as a Residence Hall Director and I have partnered with PAWS for the last 3 semesters. PAWS has been amazing to work with - the volunteers are friendly and the animals are fantastic! It's always a well attended event, averaging 150 students in attendance each time PAWS visits my residence hall. The students enjoy their time with the animals so much and I have seen many student cry tears of happiness when they see these animals. With mental health issues on the rise especially within college age students, partnering with PAWS is something I couldn't imagine NOT doing! It's so beneficial to my students - the animals give them a feeling of comfort that I just can't provide.
PAWS of CNY brings joy, happiness, and professionalism. As a coordinator of outreach and prevention services for a college counseling center, I partner with PAWS of CNY to bring animals to campus. Our students benefit from the contact a therapy animal can provide - and the volunteers are knowledgeable, open, and supportive. Hoping for many more opportunities to collaborate with PAWS of CNY. Great folks doing great work!
