Helping and Healing Paws

01/04/2026

When you rush home each day, it’s not just about getting to the house. It’s about the anticipation of the joy waiting on the other side of the door. The wagging tail, the excited eyes, and the unconditional love that greets you with no judgment or conditions. Our pets don’t care about how stressful our day was or how much we have on our plate. All they know is that you’re home, and that’s all that matters to them.

There's something uniquely comforting about their companionship. The moment you walk through the door, it feels like all your worries melt away. You can leave the outside world behind and be in the moment with your pet, enjoying each other’s presence. These moments with our dogs are truly priceless.

They offer a reminder to cherish the simple things, to embrace the love that’s right in front of us. Sometimes, the best part of the day is just coming home to a happy, wagging tail. That’s why we rush home—because our pets make every moment more meaningful. 🐾❤️

01/03/2026

The first batch of new ID cards went out in the mail today.

12/30/2025

Happy New Year everyone!! As the year comes to a close, the Board and I are working hard to get the new ID cards out, but due to my router dying on Sunday, it has set me back a few days. Our goal is to get them out at the end of the week. If facilities question the expiration date on your current cards (which is highly unlikely unless you point it out to them, please do NOT) you should be good until the new ones arrive.

Second of all, PLEASE do NOT use Venmo until further notice. Your payment WILL be returned until such time as I can get a separate account set up with them. Please use PayPal (they are now the same company), or send a check. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I was given erroneous information on that scenario.

Again, please refrain from flooding my in box with “have you received X###?” it is making my job more difficult having to answer all of those questions. I will get acknowledgements out as soon as I can. Again, I appreciate your patience in all of these matters. I am working as hard as I can, to take care of all of this, so that you can continue to do what YOU do best.

Thank you!!

Everyone have a safe and Happy New Year!

12/24/2025

I would like to wish everyone, very Happy Holiday season!

Next, I want everyone to know, I am not ignoring your emails. I had a total knee replacement at the end of September, so that meant I had to take the time to rehab my knee and to be selfish and take care of myself, because, if I did not, I cannot take care of Helping and Healing Paws Therapy Dogs.

I have been working my way through all of the emails, starting with those that were the oldest and working forward. This is in addition to the many brand new members with questions and processing them.

If everyone could please be patient with me, I WILL get to your emails and answer them.

I am also trying to get all of the 2026 new ID cards printed, laminated and the annual letter ready to go out. If I could spend my time doing that, it would help if I did not have emails asking if your payment has been received, etc. I will get those acknowledgements out, but again, the extra emails are not helping.

I have also encountered a problem with the Venmo payments, so please, DO NOT USE VENMO until further notice. That was a problem that I had not allowed time for either.

Lastly, I also have a family and dogs that deserve my attention as well, especially during this time of year. Anyone who works an outside job, away from your home, gets to go home at the end of the day. I do not, because my home is also my office, work room, sewing room and vinyl cutting room. I was even answering phone calls hours after my surgery, in my hospital room. So, in the spirit of the Season, please allow me some time to get things caught up, as well as being able to enjoy the Season with my family and dogs.

You ALL are important to me, and I am doing my best to get things done for all of you. Please, have a little more patience with me, and we will all get things done.

Thank you for your understanding during this hectic time of year!

Happy Holidays!

12/20/2025

A few of our members spreading holiday cheer this week! 🎅🏼🎄🎁

11/27/2025

🐾🍂 Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving from our therapy dogs to yours! We hope your day was filled with love, laughter, and pups of all kinds 🦴🐕
May your hearts and paws be full of gratitude today and always! 💛

10/03/2025

🐾 Meet Nina, a gentle giant and 6-year-old English Mastiff who’s been stealing hearts at St. Anne’s School! 💙

Nina loves her job providing comfort to students and staff—and she’s especially famous for being the best reading-time pillow around. 📚🐶 Nothing like a warm, furry friend to make storytime extra special!

09/26/2025

🐾📚 Round two of tail wags and stress relief! Our second shift of Helping and Healing Paws therapy dogs and their dedicated handlers visited UNW for the end-of-semester De-Stress event this past April—and they didn’t disappoint! 🐶💆‍♀️💙

From snuggles to smiles, our teams were there to help students unwind, recharge, and head into finals with a little more calm and a lot more love.

09/19/2025

🐾💙 In May, our Helping and Healing Paws therapy teams made a special visit to the students at Cambridge Isanti High School!

With wagging tails and warm hearts, our dogs helped bring comfort, connection, and a few well-deserved smiles during a busy time of year. We’re always grateful for the chance to support students through the power of the human-animal bond. 🐶✨

09/12/2025

🎪🐾 Step right up for smiles and snuggles! Our Helping and Healing Paws therapy dogs and their amazing handlers brought the paw-some circus to Bee Hive Homes – Elk River! 🎉🐶

Dressed to impress for Circus Theme Day, our furry friends helped spread joy, laughter, and a little bit of clowning around to brighten everyone's day. ❤️

09/06/2025

Check out our member, Magnus! Way to go!

Welcome to our series that spotlights NC Conference pastors serving in extension ministries. Read about other extension ministers as these stories are published weekly. Rev. Lisa Brown Cole Rev. Lisa Brown Cole […]

09/01/2025

Happy Labor Day from Helping and Healing Paws!