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RE: Cross-Country 'Doggie Relay' Keeps Autistic Child United with Pets: msg#00106
culture.autism
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Subject: |
RE: Cross-Country 'Doggie Relay' Keeps Autistic Child United with Pets |
This is a
great effort by a lot of loving people. Is there any possibility that
through donations received, the doggies could be flown for all or part of
this journey? Here's a link to Mel & Sandra Goldman's
"jet-a-pet" service. Maybe they'd be willing to donate their fee for
AutismLink?
~*~
Tink
Pet Travel Relocation Specialists
animal transportation and international pet
relocation
BACKGROUND
JET-A-PET, a provider of domestic and international pet, dog & animal
transportation & travel services, was founded in 1987 by Mel Goldman, an
active member of the PHA (Professional Handlers Association) since 1967. Mr.
Goldman became involved with shipping show dogs throughout the world from his
boarding, grooming and training facility Town House for Dogs and Cats in
Westport, CT. which he operates with his wife Sandra.
Cross-Country 'Doggie Relay' Keeps Autistic Child
United with Pets
http://releases.usnewswire.com/GetRelease.asp?id=50892
7/26/2005
2:07:00
PM
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PITTSBURGH,
July 26, / U.S. Newswire/ -- The "dog days" of summer
took on new meaning
for a McDonald, Pa., family this week when they
found out that they
couldn't transport their two laborador
retrievers on their move to
Phoenix, Ariz. due to the intense
heatwave gripping most of the country.
The family, who has a child
with autism, were forced to find new homes for
their pets, that is,
until they turned to AutismLink, a nationwide autism
support
organization.
"The family contacted us looking for someone
to take their pets."
said Cindy Waeltermann, AutismLink Director, "They
had no means of
transporting them because the father had left for his new
job with
the only family car." That's when AutismLink families jumped into
action. Jenny Webster of DuBois, Pa., a mother of an autistic child
herself, refused to let the family go without the pets.
"This is a
story about an autistic boy who is about to lose most
everything familiar
to him. He's moving to a new state, new home,
new school and will be
meeting all new people." Webster
said, "Change in routine is very
disruptive for someone with autism.
It truly is a matter of need not want,
as far as I am concerned."
Webster turned to the autism community for
help and has organized
a "doggie relay" from Pittsburgh, Pa., to Phoenix,
Ariz. to reunite
the family with their pets. "I sent out a plea to the
autism
community, people who are tapped financially and physically, and
still I got offers of money and man power to make this relay
possible.
It's truly incredible!" Webster said.
Lenore Wossidlo of Pittsburgh,
Pa., a member of AutismLink and
mother of an autistic child, helped to
raise funds for the
event. "As an animal lover and a parent of two
children, I know the
value of the relationship between this special child
and his dogs,"
Wossidlo said, "I got involved because he cannot be without
them."
Wossidlo is taking the Pittsburgh to Sharon, Pa., leg of the relay,
where she'll hand the dogs over to Webster.
"Volunteers are still
needed," said Waeltermann, "we need someone to
take the dogs from Indiana
to Missouri, and from Missouri to
Oklahoma." If no volunteers are found,
Jenny Webster will complete
the drive from Sharon, Pa., to Oklahoma. The
last leg of the journey
from Oklahoma to Phoenix is being conducted by
Jenn Engle of
Albuquerque, N.M.
The drive will take place this
Friday, July 29, and AutismLink is
hoping to find more volunteers and more
financial resources to make
this trip a reality. To volunteer as a driver,
contact
info@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx or jwebs94@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To donate funds for
the
journey, visit http://www.autismlink.com
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