HIP Responds to NYC Disaster
HIP has responded in a variety of ways to the needs of those affected by the terrorist attack of Sept. 11th. To assist in this disaster, we donated over $900 to Hope Crisis Response. This dedicated and professional group came from Oregon to aid the victims and rescue
workers. This group received a lot of national recognition for their efforts and demonstrated the powerful
difference that trained crisis response therapy dogs can make.
Here at home, HIP volunteer Irene Lynn and Daisy, her therapy dog, raised the spirits of those who faced a long wait to give blood at UAB immediately after the attack.
In addition, HIP offered to assist school counselors with our therapy dogs and have talked about the role of rescue animals in speaker's bureau presentations given to 500 people in the community. We told about search and rescue dogs, as well as the lesser known work of therapy dogs. They provided comfort to students at a high school located near ground zero, to victims' family members making the journey to the site, and to fire and rescue personnel desperately in need of emotional support.
Dianne Bell of the Delta Society®* said, "Some of our constituents think they can only help by being in New York City or the District of Columbia. The work HIP has done shows that we can all make a difference and help in our own communities."
Cindy Ehlers of Hope Crisis Response will be a speaker at an Awareness Conference sponsored
by Hand-in-Paw on November 2, 2002 and Dr. Marty Becker (author of The Healing Power of Pets
co-author of Chicken Soup for the Pet Lover's Soul and Chicken Soup for the Dog and Cat Lover's Soul )
will be our keynote speaker.
The Delta Society® is an international organization that registers Pet Partner® teams. HIP is a Delta Society affiliate.
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