(left: Dr. Ian Dunbar; right: Dick Palazzo with Jax)
Mark your calendar for April 24, 2014, 7-9 p.m. A very special evening event is planned to benefit the Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals. We are happy to offer a Meet and Greet with Dr. Ian Dunbar, pioneer in dog behavior training. He will be presenting a full day seminar earlier in the day from 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. entitled “Simple Solutions for Common Dog Behavior & Training Problems” at the Purr’n Pooch Tinton Falls location. He will be available during the evening reception to answer questions and offer advice.
“Foundation grants are awarded once a year,” said Betsy Palazzo, Foundation President. “The criteria for application are that you submit on behalf of a 501(3)(c) nonprofit organization and state the reason for funding. We research every organization who applies, and we try to accommodate everyone who is qualified. We awarded 12 grants in 2013.”
The maximum grant to any one organization per year is $5,000. The same organization can apply year after year.
“Annually, we have granted $30K, and for a small, all volunteer foundation, we are very proud. Every penny helps,” said Betsy.
The opportunity to talk with Dr. Ian Dunbar personally will be a special treat for event attendees.
“Dr. Dunbar’s philosophy of socialization as it applies to dogs and animals is something that we both have in common,” said Dick Palazzo. “I respect him and believe he is one of the foremost lecturers in the country right now, and I am very proud to have him present at Purr’n Pooch. Dr. Dunbar and I are honored to talk with guests about their individual dog behavior problems during the reception for charity.”
Purr’n Pooch Pet Resorts has created one of the finest dog socialization programs in the country. We not only help dogs that are doing things wrong, we are able to advance dogs that are doing things right – an area where most trainers fall short.
“Socialization builds communication with animals, and we do it with love, fun and challenging games,” said Dick Palazzo, President & CEO, Purr’n Pooch.
Purr’n Pooch has become trend-setters for taking dogs to higher levels through elevated mental and emotional stimulation. We have perfected dog daycare; not only can a dog come to play, but a dog can graduate into higher level play groups that are more challenging. The dog is mentally and emotionally stimulated in a way that keeps the dog truly engaged. The outcome is that the pet becomes a better dog.
“Our accomplishment with our dogs is through understanding by love and patience. Once you have that, you earn trust. Once you have trust, you have a secure pet who is willing to do whatever you want and ask him to do. That is definitely a philosophy that I share with Dr. Dunbar,” continued Palazzo.
You can register for the event now for a donation of $25. >
The Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals was established in 2010 by the Palazzo sisters as a way to celebrate a 40 year milestone for Purr’n Pooch Pet Resorts.
“Our parents had always taken in and rehabilitated rescued dogs,” said Betsy Palazzo. “They did this out of the goodness of their own hearts, never asking for any monetary assistance or anything in return. We decided what better way to honor what they have done, and to honor all the unsung heroes in the animal rescue world, than by creating a foundation that helps all types of animals in need.”
Dick Palazzo made a habit over the years of visiting shelters and taking on certain dogs destined for euthanization because they were unable to be rehabilitated by the shelter. Read about his success stories with dogs Grace and Mac on the Foundation website, both misdiagnosed with aggressive tendencies who later became perfect house pets. Mac was even featured in Dog Fancy magazine for his incredible heroism when he saved his family, including two children, from a fire a year ago. Read the story here. Jax, a pit bull from Hoboken, is also a success story, having been rescued and rehabilitated by Betsy Palazzo. Today, Jax visits local schoolchildren in efforts to end breed stereotypes and raise awareness of the importance of pet adoption.
What Dick Palazzo has learned through his rehabilitation work is that most animals deemed “aggressive” are not so much aggressive as they are insecure. Rebuilding trust is a key component in the animal’s rehabilitation process.
The foundation awards grants for any type of animal rescue including dogs, cats, exotics, horses and wildlife.
Their fundraising efforts have helped many organizations including Project Animal Worldwide who specializes in Sato dog rescue in Puerto Rico; the US War Dog Association, which received assistance with a care package drive targeting Military dogs in the Middle East; and Marine Mammal Stranding Center, whose facility was adversely affected by Superstorm Sandy.
Join the Palazzos, Dr. Ian Dunbar and friends of the Purr’n Pooch Foundation for Animals on this special evening of celebration, education and fundraising. Your donation will help a charity in need and change the life of a suffering animal.