PAWS program offers veterinary care, support to seriously ill pet owners

Many people who suffer from debilitating illnesses such as cancer and AIDS struggle emotionally, physically and financially to care for themselves, so properly looking after their four-legged family members can quickly become more effort than they can shoulder alone.

Enter the Pets Are Wonderful Support group, or PAWS , at the University of Florida College of Veterinary Medicine.

"We generally have 20 to 30 clients, and each of them can have a limit of three pets that we'll treat," said Jenna Ashton, class of གྷ, who since 2001 has played a key role in running PAWS and currently serves as its vice president of surgery.

Richard Martin, a retired Pacific Bell employee whose income is a monthly disability check, has been a PAWS client for five or six years, he said. Martin has brought Rip, his 13-year-old Rhodesian ridgeback crossbred dog, to PAWS for routine physical examinations and for periodic biopsies of the fatty tumors Rip is prone to getting on his body.

Martin first heard about PAWS through the Ryan White program at the public health department.

"It has really been a blessing for us," said Martin, who acquired Rip as a puppy from his nephew. "I probably couldn't afford to have a pet if I had to pay all the costs myself, after rent, utilities and insurance."

PAWS works with representatives of community organizations that serve individuals with special health needs to identify potential clients. Participants must certify that they have a terminal or debilitating illness, and that they meet low-income criteria.

"The program was patterned after one in California that was set up specifically to help AIDS patients at a time when they were considered pariahs and often had no one for emotional support, except their pets," said Jack Gaskin, D.V.M., who along with Amy Stone, D.V.M., serves as PAWS' clinical instructor and adviser. Natalie Isaza, D.V.M., is the group's surgery supervisor.

He added that PAWS volunteers are compassionate, community-minded and dedicated to the true calling for many veterinarians: the human-animal bond.

"Our clients are needy and very grateful that these young professionals-to-be take time from their busy schedules to assist them and their pets," Gaskin said. "It's very much a mutually beneficial relationship."

Gaskin credited the program's founder, UF veterinary college professor emeritus Tom Lane, D.V.M., with the program's success. Lane, who also helped to create the college's 24-hour pet loss support hotline, retired in 2000.

"So much of the veterinary community has benefited from Dr. Lane's largesse and expertise," Gaskin said. "He is very much a credit to our college."

To participate in surgery clinics, students must have completed either the shelter medicine or surgical rotations, whereas for general clinics - to serve as doctors under faculty supervision - students must be juniors or seniors and have taken either general medicine or small animal medicine. Freshman and sophomore students serve as technicians.

Money is allocated to the group through the Veterinary Medical College Council, which receives funding from the UF-wide Board of College Councils. Gaskin said PAWS also had benefited from support from Westside Animal Hospital and its owner, veterinarian Wilbur Wood, D.V.M., as well as from Micanopy Animal Hospital and its owner, veterinarian Molly Pearson, D.V.M.

"They really helped in the early phases of the program by volunteering their clinics, staff and resources," Gaskin said. "In addition, Cheryl Shechta and her associates at Webster Veterinary Supply have been very generous in donating supplies over the years."

In addition to supplies provided through Webster, pharmaceutical companies - including Pfizer, Novartis and Bayer - have donated medication to be distributed to pets receiving care through the program. Hills Pet Food has donated food for PAWS participants as well.

PAWS also represents a meaningful learning opportunity for student volunteers.

"What's really important about PAWS is that third- and fourth-year students with clinical experience give guidance to first- and second-year students who, in turn, gain firsthand experience dealing with clients, patients and routine veterinary care issues before they enter their formal clinics," Gaskin said. "The PAWS environment is low-key and unhurried, so students have the opportunity to learn their way around the small animal clinic and gain some clinical expertise in advance of their classmates who choose not to participate."