Total wellness is comprised of all of these facets of health. Of course from my perspective as a personal fitness trainer and fitness class instructor, you can achieve total well being by working out with me or other humans. There
Total wellness is comprised of all of these facets of health. Of course from my perspective as a personal fitness trainer and fitness class instructor, you can achieve total well being by working out with me or other humans. There is, however, another way of achieving the same good results and that is by having a pet.
The social, emotional and psychological well being associated with being a responsible pet owner has been well documented in studies of the elderly, children and troubled individuals. Pet therapy is a recognized treatment for everything from mild depression and loneliness to teaching responsibility. The bond between people and animals goes back millions of years. There is no wondering why we frequently refer to dogs as “man’s best friend.”
The physical part of well being comes from playing with your pet. Going for walks, playing catch and grooming your pet are all part of the fun.
On Kaua‘i, we are lucky to have a wonderful humane society that has just undergone a transition. The new executive director is interested in helping our island people develop a better understanding of the benefits of pet ownership and also how you can enjoy those benefits even if on a part-time basis. Shannon Blizzard is passionate about responsible pet ownership, adopting a new pet, fostering a pet and volunteering at the shelter. The possibilities of interacting with deserving animals looking for a second chance are endless.
Of course, the humane society is about protecting animals, but it also sees its duty as matchmaking the right pet with the right owner. The animals coming to the shelter are not usually “damaged” but may simply be as a result of lack of spay or neutering on the owners part. Blizzard emphasizes that this is a people situation, not an animal problem. Other animals are there simply because their prior owner may not be able to maintain them anymore. True, some animals have been abused, and these need special care. The shelter will not release any animal that is not healthy and ready for its role as a companion animal.
Fostering an animal is also a way to help in this regard. Some animals just need a little time to be ready for their role as a pet, and you can help by taking them in until they are old enough or well enough to go to their new home.
Blizzard spoke to me about the perceived notion that the shelter is a sad place where the animals are on “death row.” Nothing could be further from the truth. Visitors come to adopt, volunteers come to help out and foster parents come to assist the ones who need special care. The shelter also needs help in bringing educational, social, outreach and fundraising events to the community.
Volunteers can be anyone over the age of 18. Children can help as well, as long as their parents are with them. The volunteers get an orientation, an animal handling class, a feline and canine body language interpretation class and then are paired up with a buddy to complete their training. Right now, the center has about 100 volunteers, but the need is great and that number needs to grow to 1,000.
The dog park at the shelter is open to all dog owners. It is the only “off-leash” place on island. This also brings us back to the many benefits of dog ownership, as it is a place where you can meet and mingle with other pet owners. You can play with your dog or let them play with others while you stroll the perimeter of the park with friends. The dog park also gives people an opportunity to see the shelter and to make contributions to it. The hours of the dog park reflect the hours of the shelter: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays and 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays through Mondays.
The unconditional love that is expressed by a pet is unrivaled, even by we who are mothers. Our pets touch our lives in deep and sustained ways. The staff at the shelter is there to teach people about the many services they have available, to provide counseling in pet selection and to be part of the pet-owner relationship throughout its span. They are about responsible pet retention. I always invite people to “be the person that their pet thinks they are.” The world would be a better place.
If you can help financially or if you want to find out more about pet adoption, fostering or volunteering at the humane society you can call 632-0610. You will be glad you did.
• Jane Riley, B.A., C.P.T, C.N.A., can be reached at 212-1451 or www.janerileyfitness.com.
