Letter From the Executive Director

Dear Friends,

I’d like to personally invite every one of you to join us at Paws in the Park on October 5th at the Cedar Park Regional Medical Center Campus. This event is our way of expressing our appreciation to you, an amazing community of dog lovers that has grown leaps and bounds in the past two and a half years. It is also our way of having fun and a party just wouldn’t be the same without you and your dog!

We’ve got a lot to celebrate. I could list some numbers, like the 300 plus dogs that we’ve fostered and adopted, or the numerous visits our pet therapy teams have made in our community, or the impact we are having with children who are deaf. But how do you fit what happened the other day on a spreadsheet?

Just last week one of our pet therapy team handlers gave me a call. She began to tell me about an encounter at the grocery store that she had with the mother of a young girl who participated in the Bow Wow Reading Dogs program last year. The handler remembered the little girl quite clearly. She was a quiet girl, perhaps too quiet. She never really talked much or seemed to get excited about, well, anything. For this girl, school, and reading in particular, was something to be endured. While standing in the grocery store aisle, the mom said that had all changed. Her daughter had experienced a breakthrough. She was more communicative than ever and was actually enjoying reading. "It’s because of you," the mom said, "you and your dog."

There are so many stories that I could share but it would take a book to hold them all. I’d love to hear your story and hope that when you come out to Paws in the Park you will stop by and say hello. I’ll be the one holding a leash.

Sincerely,

Pup in the Spotlight: PARKER

Nick names: Park-o-rama, Parkalicious!

Dream Job : Sofa Tester

Favorite Quotation:  "Never underestimate a girl with a Harvard Law Degree and a French manicure!" – Elle in Legally Blonde II

Celebrity Crush: Tom Hanks in Turner and Hooch

Favorite Song: Call Me by Blondie

Smells Like: fresh baked waffles

Parker, a leggy, natural blonde is a mellow eight year old girl who loves to nap at her person’s feet.  Since being treated for heartworms she has been training for her dream job, sofa tester.

To find out more about Parker go to the available dogs section of our website.

October's Events

For a complete listing of events and more information, go to the calendar section of our website.

Saturday, October 4th
- Paws and Read – Leander Public Library (10:30 – 12:00)
- Paws and Read – Pflugerville Community Library (2:30 – 3:30)
- Delta Society Pet Partner Evaluations - FULL

Sunday, October 5th
- Paws in the Park – Cedar Park Regional Medical Center (1 – 4)

Monday, October 13th
- Pet Therapy, 6 week course

Wednesday, October 15th
- Pet Therapy, 6 week course

Saturday, October 18th
- Pet Therapy Seminar

Hearing Ear Dogs: Transcending Barriers between the Deaf and Hearing
By Carol Wright

When Betty Braun went to the animal shelter to find a dog, she needed more than a loyal companion; she needed a dog that one day might save her life. Betty’s life changed forever when as a result of a nasty bout of the flu, she became hard of hearing.

Everyday situations that she used to take for granted, like being able to hear a kitchen timer or the telephone, were no longer accessible to her.

Betty quickly learned sign language and became skilled at reading lips. So skilled in fact that I when I first met her, I didn’t realize that she was hard of hearing. But signing and reading lips can’t alert you to an ambulance siren approaching from behind, the smoke detector sounding, or your best friend ringing the doorbell and then leaving because you didn’t answer the door. Special technologies designed for the deaf and the hard of hearing can help, but they aren’t cheap and they don’t travel with you.

After seeing a hearing ear dog in an orange service vest work with its deaf owner, Betty decided to explore getting a service dog for herself. That’s when she learned that the wait for a fully trained hearing ear dog is three years at best. Not one to wait for someone else to do something, Betty decided to get a dog and train it herself. But first she had to find the right dog.

Like many shelter dogs, TJ, a full blooded Australian Shepherd, was a diamond in the rough. When Betty chose TJ she knew he was cute, smart, and entertaining, a perfect match for her and her family in every way. What she didn’t know was that he was a dog designed for a job. In fact, TJ was a dog that needed a job. Betty had chosen well.

Betty and TJ began working with Carolyn Honish, the director of Austin Dog Alliance’s Paws for Alert program over a year ago to transform TJ from a shelter dog, to a working service dog. Today, TJ and Betty are an accomplished hearing ear team. With a gentle nudge TJ alerts Betty to the doorbells, alarms, and sirens of everyday life in a hearing world. He is able to distinguish between the siren of an ambulance passing by outside the house and the siren of an approaching ambulance while driving. He takes his job seriously and he is good at it.

TJ has given Betty’s family peace of mind in knowing that she is safe when he is with her. And for Betty, he makes it possible for her to navigate the hearing world with confidence. But he is so much more than an interpreter of the hearing world. TJ is her partner, a companion, and he’s a member of Betty’s family.

Paws in the Park - Sunday, October 5th 1-4

Paws in the Park is this Sunday, October 5th, from 1 – 4 at the Cedar Park Regional Medical Center Campus located at 1401 Medical Parkway (1431 and 183A). Bring the whole family, including your dog, for an afternoon of absolute fun. Admission is free!

Watch and learn from experts in the fields of agility, training, carting and more! Enter your dog in Olympic style competitions or a costume contest. Peruse the vendor booths for the latest in canine couture or check out the carnival games or jumpy jump in the kids ring.  Learn about your favorite breed in the Dog Rescue ring.

For a complete schedule of grown-up, kid and canine activities check out our website.

Volunteer Opportunity

Are you a behind the scenes kind of person? Do you like to make things happen? We need you! Volunteer opportunities still exist for Paws in the Park. Contact Carolyn Honish at Carolyn@AustinDogAlliance.org.

Capital Campaign

Our capital campaign is going strong but we still need your help to reach our $40,000 goal.  Become part of the Austin Dog Alliance Community Center today by purchasing an engraved foyer tile.  Buy it now and see your mock tile displayed at the Austin Dog Alliance booth at Paws in the Park.

Buy it Now!

K9 Kids Club - Last Chance!

Looking for the perfect after-school activity for your dog loving 4th and 5th graders? This activity is so popular that kids have been known to spend their birthday money to attend a second time. Because the Cedar Park school district has changed their policy limiting the flyers that are sent home with students, parents may not be aware that there is still time to sign up their kids. Spread the word. It’s not too late.

Class starts Tuesday, September 30th. Register for K9 Kids Club today.

Note Cards, T-Shirts, Blankets and More

Satisfy your dog loving friends with a gift from Austin Dog Alliance. Check out our note cards, T-shirts, embroidered dog blankets, and monogrammed bandanas at our booth at Paws in the Park.