Paws & Effect

10/15/2024

10/15/2024

Service-dog non-profit Paws & Effect is now leveraging its charitable-giving status to serve as a conduit for tax-deductible funds and supplies to help area farmers and other large-animal owners sustain livestock following the unprecedented destruction caused by Hurricane Helene.

Established in 2006 in Iowa and now based on a hobby farm in Black Mountain, N.C., Paws & Effect is a federally recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that raises, trains, and places service and other dogs with military veterans, first-responders, and children diagnosed with medical needs.

While much of Western North Carolina continues to be without reliable communications and other services, the organization is leveraging its physical, administrative, and on-line resources to receive, coordinate, and redirect hurricane-relief donations, in partnership with on-the-ground organizations including:

• Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry Transformation Village, Asheville, N.C.
• Warren Wilson College, Swannanoa, N.C.
• Intrepid Acres , Clyde, N.C.
• Stable Relationships, Reidsville, N.C.
• Straightaway Cafe, Black Mountain, N.C. (currently closed, but operating as community relief logistics point), Black Mountain, N.C.

“As a long-time resident of Black Mountain, I have worked on many farms in the Broad River Valley including Tempus Renatus and Round Mountain Creamery. With my own small farmstead and experience working for others, I understand the desperate need for immediate support. As winter temperatures greet us each morning, the necessity to get help to area livestock quickly is essential,” says Shumate.

“Farmers’ immediate needs include money to make purchases like barn kits, and feed transported to us in a manner that we can manage—such as two- and three-string bales, or 50-pound bags,” says Shumate. “We need fencing, chargers, and the ability to prevent intrusion of all kinds of wildlife, including displaced black bears.”

Horse-trainer Cristin Kyle at Stable Relationships has posted an expanded list of suggested donations here: www.stablerelationships.co/helene-relief

Tax-deductible donations of money, and deliveries of feed and supplies can be coordinated through Shumate or Kyle (contact information in press release attached). Donations of funds may be made via:
• Wells Fargo banks: Local branches currently closed, but wire-transfer option available; contact organizers for account information
• Venmo:
• Zelle: [email protected]

For more information, visit: www.paws-effect.org/helene-relief

11/13/2023

Want to learn more about us? Care to have a speaker for your gathering? Reach out to [email protected] and we’ll be happy to get something arranged.

10/29/2023

Thrilled to see the boys so healthy and fit!

10/09/2023

SO impressed by this team! Mugz is responsible for preventing his recipient from wandering off. Seen here, going to redirect John back to a common area, across a field hundreds of yards in length is incredible. This team is dedicated to their training and to meeting Mugz’s individual needs.

10/04/2023

Meet Trek, a beautiful male from Formaro Labradors. With fantastic outcomes from his genetic testing and X-rays, he joins our breeding team. He is lean and active and we are excited to meet his puppies.

09/26/2023

Last night’s Dog Scouts of America troop meeting covered the basics for the Backpacking and Overnight Camping badges. Dogs were introduced to tents and fitted for backpacks in addition to playing games that will be useful in the outdoors.

Service dogs and those who benefit from them should have opportunities to explore beyond the city limits and pavement. Whether traveling by kayak, canoe or foot, we want to encourage our recipients to push past their perceived limits and enjoy what the world has to offer.

As always, a huge thank you to Long Dog LLC aka Masheshed for hosting our gathering.

09/23/2023

Want to join our Dog Scouts troop? We meet once each month to work on badges, using positive reinforcement to bring out the very best in our dogs. Email [email protected] for additional information.

Pictured: our service dogs working through the Manners badge at their Back to School night.

09/20/2023

It is with a heavy heart that we share Anthem’s passing. Part of the Military Litter, he was placed in 2011 as part of the first ever placement we did. Anthem not only saved Joe’s life multiple times, but he became a visible and contributing member in his new community. We are grateful that these two had each other.

NEGAUNEE — A beloved service dog, friend and family member has crossed the rainbow bridge. 13-year-old Anthem Holman, of Negaunee, passed away at home after a brief illness on Saturday. He was born on Aug. 26, 2012, in Iowa and raised by Tammi and Tessa DeJong to be a service dog for Paws and Effe...

09/18/2023

September is su***de prevention month.

If you are experiencing a mental health crisis and need a *free* and safe place to store your fi****ms, you may do so at many FFL dealers. If you’re in Iowa, there are registered dealers in Wisconsin; North Carolina has its own program.

More than half of all U.S. gun deaths are su***des — and su***de by gun is even more frequent among veterans.