Jennie Danyliw is the Regional Operations Director for Associate Veterinary Clinics (AVC) in Ontario. Her primary role is coaching in development of veterinary practices. Today Jennie will talk about AVC’s Paw It Forward program.
InfoStream (IS): Why and when was Paw It Forward created?
Jennie Danyliw (JD): Paw It Forward was started about 2 years ago and it was created as all great ideas are, around a dinner table with different voices contributing to how we can give back to the community at a greater level. First born was Pet Pantry and then came the bigger umbrella of Paw It Forward. So basically, how can we take every action that we do and start to “Paw It Forward” and give back within the communities?
IS: What is your role in Paw It Forward?
JD: My role is sort of an off-shoot actually, and it’s better if I speak of it in regards to the clinics more. My role is to support and keep the momentum going but it’s really our veterinary hospitals that keep Paw It Forward alive. Our clinic team members fundraise for Paw It Forward so it is a self-funding program that we are able to run and it is a program that is run right across Canada. Our clinic team members link Paw It Forward with our Pet Pantry events where we are working alongside food banks in providing nutrition and very basic services such as nail trims to those in need within our community. For every bag of veterinary diet that we sell through our hospitals we donate $5 to Pet Pantry and it helps our team members feel really good about what they’re doing.
IS: What are the goals of Paw It Forward?
JD: Our original goal was to identify what the need was within the community for those that have fallen on hard times and are using local food banks and community services. So, our goal was to provide food, or fill tummies, of those that are in a less fortunate position.
IS: What issues or concerns has Paw It Forward been able to support? You mentioned Pet Pantry, has there been anything else included in Paw It Forward so far?
JD: Any of our fund raising events have the overall umbrella of Paw It Forward. There are a number of charities that are clinics work with all based in different areas of Ontario and right across the country. So, really, our initial issue was how can “we” break down some of the stigma around those who are in a less fortunate position and provide proper food to their pets.
IS: Can you tell us about a special experience that you’ve had through your work with Paw It Forward?
JD: Yeah, wow, there are so many that I could pick from and really it’s quite a shared experience across our entire group. I would have to say that when we run a Pet Pantry Paw It Forward event it’s one of the most humbling days that I’ve ever worked. My background is only veterinary medicine for the last 25 years that the ability to be able to give back, meet an abundance of new people that have fantastic stories to share and one thing that we’ve really learned is that pet means so much to that person who has fallen on hard times. That pet is their only connection left and we’re able to help and support that and listen to the stories. For me personally, I find it amazing that no matter where we go home at night or where we come from, you put a pet in front of us or a pet topic and we become exactly the same person. So we break down all of those barriers and there is not any judgment.
IS: Paw It Forward is funded through fundraising events held at the individual clinics and those funds come from food sales, nail trims, and other activities along those lines, is that correct?
JD: Yes, nail trims and other donations based events that we do. We have clinic staff going to Pawpolooza this weekend and they will be collecting donations for Paw It Forward. Our goal was really to set this up so that it was self-funding through our clinics. There are also our veterinary partners and those are companies that partner with us as well as a few pharmaceutical as well whereas they offer support as well and are with us at the food banks.
IS: Does Paw It Forward support all of the areas around AVC clinics?
JD: Correct, we run Paw It Forward right across Canada and we actually just finished another event in British Columbia last weekend. We have a goal to provide 250,000 meals by the end of this year and as of right now we’re half way to our goal.
IS: Is there anything else that you would like us to know?
JD: Maybe one last thing, is what I talked about at the Urban Animal presentation is that to challenge everybody that we can make a difference for those that have fallen on hard times.
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