Paws With Patience is a non-profit volunteer pet therapy group operating in Bucks and Lehigh Counties.   It consists of caring  people who volunteer their pets and personal time to visit nursing and retirement homes.  Sharing special animals to bring a little happiness to people who so desperately need something to hold and love is the purpose and goal of Pet Therapy work.  Visits often bring memories of pets left behind.  Occasionally, a withdrawn or very ill resident will respond to a therapy animal when no other means of communication has been effective. 

             Donations are accepted to keep our all volunteer group going. 

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Would you like to be a Therapy Dog?

Members of Paws With Patience visit nursing homes in the area as a group.  Our visits are monthly at each home and last one hour.  Animals, as well as handlers and the residents of the homes, benefit from this form of therapy. 

A Special Visit

Jake and I have been visiting Life Quest for 6 years now. Residents come and go and some leave some very special memories in your heart. A few weeks ago I got a visit at work on a Monday from a family member saying that one of my special residents  Blanche , 99 years old wasn't doing too well and she wasn't sure how much longer she would be here on this earth. So I said we are visiting Life Quest on this coming Thursday and she lead me to believe that  Thursday could be too late. So I assured her that Jake and I would try to get there that night to visit with Blanche. I got home from work and told Jake we had a special visit tonight , he agreed (ha) and off we went. We walked into Blanches room to realize that she had aged 5 years in the short 4 weeks that we had seen her last. I lifted Jake to let him sniff her face and then put him at the bottom of her bed. I was talking to her Granddaughter and told her how Blanche always looked forward to our visits and it always made us feel real needed. Also, I always admired a dear friend of Blanches , Mary Lou. She would be at the home almost every month that we did visit. Mary Lou would wheel Blanche out to meet our dogs or come and scout us out to make sure that we went to Blanche's room. What a friend indeed. With Jake at the bottom of the bed seeming content on this night , it came to my surprise when he sprung up , turned around and looked up at the top of the bed,. with that I picked him up and took him to Blanche and he proceeded to lick her face as to say goodbye dear lady , we will miss you !! It took me by surprise because he had done this only one time before and that resident passed that same night. I put him at the bottom of her bed and he laid with his head over the bottom, seeming content again.

We said our goodbyes and knew it would take a miracle for Blanche to survive. A few hours later Blanche did leave this earth to go to a better place. Jake and I did attend her funeral and I will end this story with what her Son said to me "Thanks for going the extra mile" ! That meant a lot to me and will stick with me for the rest of my life. Hope you enjoyed this story and hope there are puppies in heaven for Blanche !

Sincerely Marsha and Jake

Here's a letter from one of our visitees:

I just wanted to let you know of the kindness of one of your members, Dorothy Rondeau and her beautiful German Shepherd, Tessa. My 12 year old son, who is diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome, has visited twice with Tessa in local parks, and it has been a wonderful experience for him and a real boost to his self esteem.

I can't say enough about the value of pet therapy  for  the elderly and special needs kids... and just about anyone!

Thank you for making it possible, through your organization, for us to meet Dorothy and Tessa!

Sincerely,
Nan Jacobs

   And a resident of the Brightfield home, Julie has shared wonderful letters with us.  She says in one "YES, BEAUTIFUL, WONDERFUL AND NICE DOGS ARE SIMPLY GREAT".  

     Any breed is eligible.  The dog must be sociable and under the handler's control at all times.  They are to remain on leash during the whole visit.  The dog needs to be up-dated on all vaccinations, and a veterinary record must be given to the Paws With Patience  coordinator.

    Paws With Patience offers testing for dogs to be certified as Therapy Dogs through Therapy Dogs Incorporated.  In addition to providing certification Therapy Dogs Incorporated provides members with an insurance policy.  Please visit our How To Join page for more information on Therapy Dog certification.

     Are you a relative of a home resident?  Check to see if we visit your loved one's home on our visitation schedule page.  If we do, we'd love to pay a special visit for you!  Send us the room number and name of your friend or relative and we'll make sure one of our therapy dogs stops by to see them on our next visit.  If we don't visit your relative's home and you would like us to, send us the home's name and location and we will ask them to consider adding Paws With Patience to their activities schedule.  

If you are the activities director for a home, we would love to discuss adding Paws With Patience to your activities schedule.  Please contact us.