Hand in Paw History
Back in 1996, Animal-Assisted Therapy existed on a very limited number of radar screens, and it certainly wasn’t being used in Birmingham, Alabama. Soon after the former Greater Birmingham Humane Society Director, Beth Franklin, founded Hand in Paw, Animal-Assisted Therapy Teams became a familiar sight in area hospitals, juvenile detention centers, and rehabilitation facilities..
From Hand in Paw’s earliest days as a 501(c)(3) organization, Franklin and the Board of Directors shared a vision of excellence. Great attention was paid to training and evaluation of all volunteers and their animal partners. This attention to quality continues to be a mainstay of Hand in Paw.
After Franklin retired in 2009, veteran nonprofit administrator Kitty Terry stepped into the role of Executive Director, serving as the organization’s spokesperson and overall team leader. With her vast experience, including eight years as head of the Children’s Trust Fund of Alabama, and her master’s degree in public administration from Harvard University, Terry brings an invigorating approach to fundraising, administration, and marketing.
A mere fourteen years ago, one woman struck out on a mission to design and build an organization that would, through the use of volunteer Animal-Assisted Therapy Teams, help heal people who are experiencing hurt, be it social, emotional, developmental or physical. Today, more than 150 professionally-trained volunteers carry out that mission, under the leadership of a diverse Board of Directors and an exceptionally qualified Executive Director.
From the past into the present, Hand in Paw has been lauded as an exemplary organization in terms of financial transparency, accountability, stewardship, and perhaps most importantly, an unselfish service to the community.
