MISSION
Pets Help The Heart Heal’s mission is to improve the physical, social, and emotional health of youth through the human-animal bond. The organization incorporates veterinary medicine , veterinary care, animal industry career exploration and the human animal bond in an event provided to underserved and underprivileged youth.
Events include:
• Animal Hospital Tour with Interactive Participation
• Demonstrations
• Puppy Love Sessions
• Arts and Crafts
• Music, Food, and Fun
HISTORY
It all started with a smile. Pets Help The Heart Heal was founded on the smile of a young girl after she was asked if she would play with my dog. I was at a local foster care organization helping with a service project. As we worked on art therapy I saw the challenges the kids were facing on a day to day basis; bullying, judgement, rejection, abandonment. The one girl that was participating just seemed down. She was doing the assignment but seemed sad. Only when I asked her if I brought my dog did she show a little glimpse of joy and the frown turned upside down. I begin to talk about my job as a veterinarian. I asked questions and they asked me questions. I knew then that I needed to do something to bring veterinary medicine and animals into the lives of these kids. At first it was going to be just a career day at their facility but so much more could be done at an actual animal hospital. Pets Help The Heart heal incorporates veterinary medicine and animal industry through events and programs that also promote the human animal bond.
CORE VALUES
Uplift, Educate, Inspire
VISION
The vision of Pets Help the Heart Heal is to enhance the lives of at-risk youth and help them realize their full potential.