PAL was organized in 1981 by Dr. Earl Strimple, a Washington, D.C. veterinarian. Working with a grant from the Charles Engelhard Foundation, Dr. Strimple founded PAL to bring animals to the lonely and socially isolated. PAL’s pilot program was with the St. Francis Center, where it brought pets into the lives of the newly bereaved. Both Dr. Strimple and St. Francis founder, Rev. William Wendt, had witnessed the remarkable positive effects pets had on people who were coping with the loss of a loved one. Since 1982, PAL has been a separate charitable organization pioneering in the practical application and education of pet therapy in the Washington metropolitan area.
Pet Therapy
In 2006, 300+ PAL certified volunteer pet teams visited 18+ divisions of 17 nursing homes, children's hospitals, and other facilities, bringing comfort to thousands of people who benefit from the unconditional love and companionship of an animal. PAL volunteer-pet-therapy teams made about 16,000 contacts at the following institutions throughout the Washington DC Metropolitan area:
Current list of PAL Pet Visits
· · Alexandria Adult Day Services Center · Arleigh Burke Pavilion Nursing and Assisted Living · Armed Forces Retirement Home · Episcopal Center for Children · Goodwin House West · Grand Oaks · INOVA Fairfax Hospital · IONA Senior Services · Knollwood Retirement Home · Lisner-Louise-Dickson-Hurt Retirement Home · Northern Virginia Mental Health Institute · PAL After-School Club · PAL Summer Camp · Potomac Behavioral Health · Sibley Hospital Center · St Mary's Court · Veterans Administration Medical Center · The Washington Home ·
Pet Loss Hotline
The Pet Loss Hotline is a free support service for people who are grieving over the loss—or impending loss—of a beloved pet. PAL’s skilled, professional volunteer counselors make contact and help them through their difficult time. PAL sends reference materials and other information based on the counselor’s recommendation. In 2006, PAL assisted many individuals who had recently lost a pet.
PAL After-School Club
PAL After-School Club is an after-school program for children in grades 2-5 held at Beacon House www.beaconhousedc.org in Northeast Washington, DC that coincides with the school year. The PAL program promotes the human/animal bond through care of classroom pets, using a science-based curriculum built around the animal kingdom to improve critical thinking and observation skills. Participants benefit from the hands-on contact with the animals, and learn nurturing behaviors through the care and feeding of the "pocket pets." The living classroom houses rabbits, birds, guinea pigs, lizards and a hamster. Most children choose one animal as their favorite and form a close bond with that animal.
Each PAL After-School Club session begins with the PAL Pledge:
"On my honor, I promise to respect and defend the value of all living things; to be a caretaker for the creatures of the world, both great and small; and to live my life positively, humanely, and compassionately."
The science-based activities are lots of fun for the children. Activities are geared to improve their report card grades and the science portion of the Stanford 9 exam. Another important component to PAL After-School Club is the field trips. Trips to the National Zoo, nature centers, and regional parks provide new and interesting experiences. From the wildly exotic to the tamest of animals, children learn about the natural world.
PAL After-School Club provides a safe environment for children who live in under-resourced communities at no cost to their families. We believe the values instilled and the time and funds invested in our children- at-risk programs are an investment in the future for all of us.
PAL Camp
PAL Summer Camp gives young inner-city children a chance to learn about and take care of a wide variety of pets on a daily basis for seven weeks under the guidance of caring staff. The pets, in turn, give the youngsters a potent combination of unconditional love, contact comfort, a chance to be needed and a sense of belonging. Lots of field trips and unique experiences teach new skills--from scientific observation to responsible caretaking--all of which help build self-confidence and instill a reverence for life. Our curricula are science-based and designed to be interactive and fun.
Pal Camp is held at Beacon House in Northeast Washington, DC. Most of the children attending PAL Camp live in under-resourced communities, and the camp is offered at no cost to the children's families. The PAL Camp experience is high quality and equals the private camp experience. We provide one staff member for every four campers. Many Pal campers go on to attend PAL After-School Club during the school year.
