Pet visit program
PAL CLUB AND PAL CAMP
PET LOSS comfort LINE
PET VISIT PROGRAM
There are doctors, nurses, pharmacists.
Then there are the specialists.
Bringing comfort and companionship to people who need tender loving care - particularly seniors in nursing homes - are more than three hundred PAL volunteers and their loving dogs. Even with the best doctors and the highest-quality health care, people need something beyond pills and procedures. They need connection and meaning.
While PAL teams visit many types of sites, 85% of our visits are with the elderly; many of these seniors have Alzheimer’s or dementia, and our volunteers visit month after month, year after year. Most of the people we visit can't own a pet, which is a real loss to those who were devoted pet owners throughout their earlier lives.
The volunteers who visit are truly a generous and kind-hearted collection of people and pets.
In 2009, 266 PAL certified volunteer teams brought comfort to people at 27 sites − nursing homes, mental health facilities, hospitals, and Stanton Elementary − and over 8,000 people got a wagging tail or delighted gaze through more than 600 hours of volunteered time.
We currently have 311 volunteers and their dogs going out into the community.
This is important work - the senior population in the U.S. will double in the next thirty years, meaning more people will be in need of affection. PAL is working hard to expand our volunteer pool so we can better meet this need.
If you drop by any of the places below, you might see a PAL dog bringing smiles and laughter.
Arleigh Burke Pavilion Nursing & Assisted Living
Armed Forces Retirement Home
Burke Centre Library
Culpepper Garden
Episcopal Center for Children
Goodwin House Alexandria
Goodwin House West
Grand Oaks
IONA Senior Services
Grand Oaks
IONA Senior Services
John Marshall Library
Knollwood Retirement Home
National Rehabilitation Hospital
Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute
Knollwood Retirement Home
National Rehabilitation Hospital
Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute
PAL Club at Stanton Elementary
Pohick Regional Library
Inova Behavioral Health
Inova Behavioral Health
Sherwood Library
Sibley Hospital Center
Specialty Hospital of Washington
Stoddard Baptist Home
St. Coletta's of Greater Washington
St. Mary's Court
Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home
Veterans Administration Medical Center
The Washington Home
Woodbine Rehab & Healthcare Center
Sibley Hospital Center
Specialty Hospital of Washington
Stoddard Baptist Home
St. Coletta's of Greater Washington
St. Mary's Court
Stoddard Baptist Nursing Home
Veterans Administration Medical Center
The Washington Home
Woodbine Rehab & Healthcare Center
PAL Club
THERE ARE TEACHERS, TUTORS AND WORKSHEETS.
THEN THERE IS PAL CLUB AND PAL CAMP.
Kids are naturally curious about animals and at PAL Club, we give kids the chance to explore and learn. They meet and care for dogs, rabbits and reptiles. Children read books about squirrels, habitats and the environment. They go bird-watching and bug-catching. They visit the zoo, the Smithsonian museum and canoe on the Anacostia River.
And, most importantly, the children practice animal-friendly behavior – talking quietly, listening closely and petting softly.
For low-income children struggling with gaps in their academic, social and emotional skills, the animal-centric PAL Club and Camp builds on the children's natural affinity for animals to stimulate scientific inquiry, improve reading and math, and reward good behavior.
As a year-round program, it makes a unique, long-term commitment to children and their families.
Located in Southeast DC at Stanton Elementary, PAL is helping ensure all children begin life with a solid academic foundation and meet or exceed national No Child Left Behind standards.
The afterschool program and summer camp are offered in partnership with DC Public Schools Out-of-School Time Office, which provides space, security, janitorial services and coordination. PAL Club runs after school during the school year and PAL Camp is held for four weeks during the summer.
DC youth from the DC Office of Youth Employment provide helping hands at Camp in the summer, learning and growing alongside their younger neighbors.
PAL Club Partnership
PAL Club students love learning about animals, and thanks to a partner in our work, they also love learning about the blue and green spaces where animals live. PAL collaborates with the Anacostia Community Outreach Center's Blue Ocean and Green Space (BOGS) Project, a marine biology and earth science career and exploration project. BOGS exposes PAL Club students to careers in marine biology and environmental science, with activities such as field trips to wetlands and speaker visits.
This partnership is funded by the DC Office of the State Superintendent for Schools and the Federal 21st CCLC program.
PET LOSS COMFORT LINE
The loss of a pet can be devastating, and people coping with the loss of a beloved companion need to find comfort. The Pet Loss Hotline connects grieving people to a helpful counselor.Call the Pet Loss Comfort Line at 202-966-2171, and please leave a message if calling after hours. Your phone call will be returned promptly.
