PAWS for FRIENDSHIP

About the Book

Have you ever visited a care facility where you’ve seen 4-legged, furry friends visiting residents or patients, bringing joy and comfort to those who might have been going through some rough times with their health or maybe even abandoned in a care facility? Did you ever wonder how that service was started or how to maybe get your own pets involved? Really - how many of us think our babies are the most sweet, adorable creatures anyone has ever seen? If you’re shaking your head in agreement to these questions, then this book is for you! You will read the story of a “lost soul” who was rescued by a “little Great Dane” who started this journey 30 years ago. You will read first-hand testimonies of volunteer members whose lives have been forever changed because of Paws for Friendship Inc. You will smile, you will cry, and maybe, just maybe - you will want to become a member of this wonderful organization. Everything you need to know is in this book!

About the Author

Usually, it’s a human who rescues a dog or a cat or some other pet that experienced a traumatic life. Jan Schmidt shares her unlikely story of being rescued herself by a little Great Dane named Jennie. Jan was struggling with despair and depression following the death of her mother. She was contemplating suicide at one point when, through what she calls “divine intervention”, she met Jennie who was six months old at the time. Abused and neglected and close to being “put down”, Jan took Jennie home, and they began a bond that laid the groundwork for touching thousands of lives. Jan often thought about the residents at the care center where her mom had been - those lonely individuals who waited patiently for someone who never would arrive--a family member, a former neighbor, anyone. So one day, she took Jennie and they drove to the facility. “I suddenly felt a wave of terror and knew I could not do this-- after all those years and all those lonesome faces. I began to turn away just inches from that first mat and headed towards the van. Suddenly, Jennie pulled me back around and literally forced me inside. I wanted to run away but Jennie knew we had to stay.” And so began the very first visit and the birth of Paws for Friendship, Incorporated - the journey of Jennie, a little Great Dane, and her “designated driver”, Jan.