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Animals

At Briarcliff High, Meet ‘Unsung Hero’ Zoe Ivler, Volunteer at Animal Sanctuaries Worldwide

February 25, 2023 by Irene Unger

Zoe volunteering at A Good Dog Rescue

This is the time when many high school students are deciding how to spend the upcoming summer. The good news is that the options are endless and range from working and making money to pushing physical limits with an outdoor adventure tour. There are so many options for attending a college campus to take classes or find an internship to explore passions. However, there are also numerous unique programs available that may offer a chance to experience something you love, while also making a difference, even leading you to be seen as heroic. As is the case with Briarcliff High School Junior, Zoe Ivler.

When I spoke with Briarcliff High School Principal Diana Blank and asked her for the name of a student who does something unique with their summers, Ms. Blank gave me Zoe’s name, describing her as “an unsung hero who loves to do community service and help others.” As I would find out when I sat down with Zoe, the “others” in this case are all types of animals. Zoe said, “I’ve always loved dogs, I’ve always wanted a dog”, however since she never got a dog of her own, she always found ways to always be around dogs. Zoe’s earliest dog memories came from the Briarcliff Manor Library’s program Reading to Rover. She said, “l loved to read to the therapy dogs at the library when I was younger.”

She found additional ways to be around dogs by taking advantage of local opportunities such as volunteering at the Briarcliff SPCA and Montrose’s Canine Kindergarten. However, since she started high school, she has taken this desire to care for animals one step further and has been spending the summers nursing sick animals back to health in some of the most remote places on the planet.

Zoe’s awareness of places where she could go during the summer and get hands-on experience with animals came two years ago. Zoe’s grandparents offered her an opportunity to go anywhere in the world to have an experience with animals. She said, “at first my grandparents were encouraging me to choose Africa.” However, her grandparents also showed her other options including living and working at an animal sanctuary called The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in a remote area in Utah. This made Zoe extremely excited because she did not just want to see animals, she wanted to help them, especially the ones who have been wounded, whether at the hands of humans or through acts of nature.

Zoe at home with her cats, Moose and Munch

According to their website, The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary is the largest sanctuary of its kind and on any given day is the healing home for up to 1,600 dogs, cats, birds, bunnies, horses, and pigs. Being a part of nursing these animals back to health is exactly the way Zoe wanted to spend her summer. At Best Friends, Zoe explained, “I was too young to work with the dogs, so I worked in a place called Catworld and I loved it.” Zoe went on to say, “Catworld was broken up into houses depending on what was wrong with the cat and most of them were there because they were sick, many with cancer.” She said her favorite part was “that I was able to take the cats back to the room and care for them overnight.” The time in Utah had a huge effect on Zoe and she knew that this is how she would spend her summers going forward.

Last summer Zoe decided to pick a Teen Tour to Costa Rica where she spent three weeks working at animal sanctuaries. She said, “The sanctuaries are more like shelters, and they’re not like here. They are outside and dirty, and the dogs were all from the streets and needed a lot to get back to their healthy selves.” Unfortunately, she witnessed, “Dogs coming in with chains wrapped around them, some with missing fur and cuts, and a lot of malnourished ones.” While it was sad to see, she knew that the help she and other volunteers were doing to nurse these dogs back to health was making a difference.

The past two summers have been so fulfilling that it left Zoe knowing she wanted to pick another place to go to continue helping to heal sick animals. She is currently deciding between a few possible programs for this summer, including potentially one in Alaska where she could help huskies regain their former strength, or another one in Hawaii working at a dog and cat sanctuary. Finally, the one that she seems most excited about is a program in Australia where she can work in a koala sanctuary. Zoe hopes through sharing her story, she will inspire some of her peers to spend their summers getting out there into the world, while also helping to make the world a better place.

 

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: animal rescue, Animal Sanctuaries Worldwide, Animals, Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, Volunteering, Zoe Ivler

All in a (Dog) Day’s Work:Meet Some Caring & Compassionate Canines in your Neighborhood

February 22, 2020 by Robin Goetz

It’s almost time for Armonk resident Tobie Di Pietro’s shift at The Bristal Assisted Living Facility. He stretches and gets into his uniform. As he enters the building, it’s clear that he’s a valued member of the Bristal family–he is greeted with excitement from both residents and staff alike, a small crowd has formed awaiting his arrival. Ready to get to work, he enthusiastically makes himself comfortable, curling up in the lap of one of the eager residents. Tobie is a therapy dog–an 8-year-old Havanese whose job is as simple as it is important- to bring joy, comfort and calm to the people he meets.

It is well-known (and scientifically proven) that interaction with pets has significant benefits to the psychological and physiological well-being of their human counterparts. Animals, and dogs especially, are said to reduce anxiety and stress, lower blood pressure, build confidence and encourage communication. As Tobie moves from lap to lap –27 in all–his impact is clear. Residents regale Tobie and his human partner Karen with stories of their own dogs, their grandchildren, their ailments, and even gossip about fellow residents. Smiles spread across faces as Tobie gently snuggles, stiffened hands relax with every stroke of his soft fur.

TOBIE’S PHOTOS COURTESY OF ROBIN CHWATKO

Tobie: A Havanese with Heart

Karen, Tobie’s owner, is a first-time dog owner and lifelong volunteer. She contends that the level of giving she experiences through Tobie is unmatched. “Sharing this with Tobie is truly something special, magical even,” she says. “Volunteering together leaves me on Cloud Nine–we connect with people on so many levels, it’s like Tobie seems to know what each person needs.”

This is even more evident in the “Reflections” wing, home to residents in the memory care program at the Bristal. “It’s incredible that the minute they see Tobie, they can recall the name of a childhood dog, or a story about a pet they used to have,” says Karen.

Maytha Ramirez, Director of Recreation at the Bristal, agrees. “It is so important in this community to have that positivity, energy and stimulation–the dynamic changes completely when Tobie enters the room. He gets them talking and brings so much happiness into their lives and their routine.”

In addition to the Bristal, Tobie and Karen volunteer at several county libraries, corporations including Pepsi and Amscan, and women’s shelters. “Tobie is my boyfriend,” exclaims one resident, pulling Tobie closer. She winks and whispers, “He really just comes here for me.”

Maus’ PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTINE MEYER

Schnauzer Soothes Stressed Area Students

When Alexa Krugel was a sophomore at Horace Greeley High School, she started to feel the stress of the high-pressure, high-achieving environment. She soon came to realize that there was a lack of student-run organizations or initiatives to help alleviate this stress and address mental health issues and the stigmas that come with them. She took it upon herself to create such an outlet for her peers and called it the Mental Wellness Club. The club meets regularly throughout the school year, but around the time of midterms and final exams, they partner with the PTA for “Stress Less Week”. Open to all students, the week focuses on distracting, stress-reducing, mindful activities to allow them to decompress, including yoga, meditation, exercise and, of course, therapy dogs.

Enter a 92-pound giant schnauzer named Maus and his owner, Christine Meyer, who were participants since the club’s inception. Dogs are actually Christine’s business, as she is the owner of Wags N‘ Whiskers, a pet groomer and supply store in Chappaqua, a town staple since 1991.

“Maus’s presence was commanding, truly remarkable”, said Christine. “Physically he was just such a striking dog, people were drawn to him and had questions–what kind of dog he was, how his eyebrows grew so long–he was magnetic. He looked intimidating, but he was just a big mush.” Certified as a therapy dog at age 6, Christine says that he had no idea how large he was, and practically demanded attention, nudging closer to students, even leaning on them or sitting on them until they gave in and pet him. “Maus just KNEW what his role was. As humans we don’t necessarily know who is hurting, but dogs always do. It is a real gift to share my dog with others.”

“My favorite part of having Maus at Greeley was the sense of community he brought. I would always see students who were not friends petting him together and laughing over their common love of the dog,” said Elizabeth Mortati, another Greeley student and club member. “It was really sweet to see how Maus would lift everyone’s mood and bring students together.”

Sadly, Maus passed away this January at the age of 11. A fixture in Chappaqua and at the schools he visited, he touched and will be missed by many. His legacy will continue with his 4-year-old sister, another giant schnauzer named Freedom, who was recently certified.

Now a freshman at the University of Michigan, Alexa reflects on the positive experience and indelible impact Maus had on her and her fellow students, and what a positive addition he was to the program she started. “Maus brought so much joy- he was happy, he was comforting, and everyone loved him. He was a familiar face-people developed close relationships with him. Every time he came to the school our worries melted away for a moment.”

SKYE’s PhotoS by Lynda Shenkman

Pleasantville’s Skye Is Always Bright

You can’t help but grin when you meet Skye–a 3-year-old sheepadoodle (Old English Sheepdog/Poodle mix) who is a 60 pound shaggy poof of kindness, calm and love. Under all that fluff seems to be a knowing smile that, no matter what your mood, she has the power to brighten your day.

Skye’s owner Lynda Shenkman has had and loved many dogs. But the moment she met mellow, sweet Skye, she knew she was destined for therapy work. The mark of a therapy dog is its stable temperaments and friendly, easy-going personality–basically Skye in a nutshell.

“We started our training with Skye early, when she was just over a year old,” says Shenkman. “It was clear right away that this was her calling, she knew right away what she needed to do. The minute she puts on her vest and bandana, she knows it’s time to work.”

Therapy dogs may be trained by just about anyone, but must meet set standards and be tested  to be certified and registered and actively participate in a program.

Skye works primarily on college campuses and libraries–where kids build confidence by reading to her. She makes private home visits and is a popular resident of Pleasantville, where she can be seen getting pets and snuggles from neighbors on the street. Unlike service dogs, therapy dogs are encouraged to interact with a variety of people while they are on-duty.

Skye recently made her first trip to hospice, visiting a woman who had not spoken or communicated in days. Yet, the minute Skye entered the room, her eyes lit up, and she was even able to pet her once Skye every so gingerly offered her sweet, furry paw.

Sometimes, it seems, you just need a helping paw.

Filed Under: Cover Stories Tagged With: Animals, Calm, Caring, Comfort, confidence, Dogs, Havenese, Helping Paws, Joy, Reduce anxiety, Therapy dog

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