- HOME
- COMMON PUBLIC MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PAWS
- ADOPTION: How do I adopt from PAWS?
- ADMISSION / ABANDONMENT: Can PAWS adopt/take my pet? Can I donate my pet to PAWS?
- ANIMAL CONTROL VS ANIMAL WELFARE
- ANIMAL WELFARE LAWS
- BRANCH OF PAWS: Are there other PAWS branches? Sana may PAWS dito!
- CITY POUND: Help! My dog was caught and was taken to the pound. Is this right/legal?
- CRUELTY: Hit-and-Run Case
- CRUELTY: How To Report Animal Cruelty + Calling 117
- CRUELTY: Online photos / videos / links, what can I do about these?
- DOG BITES: Help! I was bitten by a dog. What do I do?
- DONATE: How can I donate to PAWS?
- FOSTER: Temporarily keeping a rescue is one of the most important things a volunteer or concerned citizen can do. What does it take to foster?
- HOARDING AND IRRESPONSIBLE RESCUING
- HUMANE EDUCATION - BARANGAYS / SUBDIVISIONS : Does PAWS give seminars for barangays on animal care, catching of strays, responsible pet ownership?
- HUMANE EDUCATION: School Tours / Student Interviews / School Visits
- NEGLECT: My neighbor is beating their pet. My neighbor is not giving food/water/shelter.
- NEGLECT: Pet shops (Animals are malnourished, not fed, kept in small/cramped cages, etc.)
- NEIGHBOR COMPLAINING ABOUT OUR PETS
- PET SHOPS / PETS FOR SALE: Is it ok to buy from a pet shop? Is it legal to sell animals in the streets?
- REHOMING ASSISTANCE
- RESPONSIBLE PET OWNERSHIP
- RESPONSIBLE RESCUING
- SHELTER CLEANING PROGRAM
- SHELTER FEEDING PROGRAM
- SICK PET: Help, my pet is sick. What do I do?
- SPAY/NEUTER: Benefits
-
STRAY-RESCUE: What To Do With Rescues and Stray Emergencies
- STRAY-RESCUE: How do I admit this poor puppy/kitten/cat/dog I saw on the streets?
- STRAYS - How to get them off the streets?
- STRAYS: Why are there stray cats and dogs?
- ACTUAL REPORT: Dog with cyst. Need assistance.
- ACTUAL REPORT: Abandoned dog
- ACTUAL REPORT: Run-over stray dog with bone sticking out
- ACTUAL REPORT: Stray dog in bad condition beside hospital
- STRAY/RESCUE: Dog/Cat Stuck In Tree/Roof/Sewer/Creek/Etc
- STRAYS/PETS OUT IN THE RAIN/TYPHOON
- STRAY CATS: Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR)
- TNR - How to do community TNR
- VET SERVICES: Does PAWS offer vet services?
- VET MALPRACTICE: My pet died at the vet, I think this is negligence, how can I complain about it?
- VOLUNTEER: How do I become a PAWS volunteer? / I'm not from Manila, how can I volunteer? / Can kids volunteer?
- WHY DO DOGS BITE?
- ABANDONED DOGS, PUPPIES, CATS, KITTENS - Can PAWS rescue them?
- ABANDONED NURSING KITTENS: Help! I found these little kittens and I don't know how to take care of them.
- BABIES AND PETS
- BEHAVIOR AND TRAINING: My dog has biting/aggressive problems, etc? What do I do?
- BOARDING: Can I board my pet at PAWS? Can my pet stay temporarily at PAWS?
- BURIAL/CREMATION: Does PAWS offer these services?
- CONDO DOES NOT ALLOW PETS
- DR. DOG : How can my dog be a part of the Dr. Dog Program?
- EXOTIC PETS: Is it legal to keep exotic animals?
- FOUND PET
- LOST PET: My pet is missing. Can you help me?
- NEW YEAR'S TIPS
- ON DOLPHINS, COCKFIGHTING, ETC.
- PAWS LOGO: Can our group use the PAWS logo for our event that will benefit PAWS? Can I use the PAWS logo for my blog?
- TRAVEL WITH PET
- PAWS Facebook Posting Guidelines
- PREPARING FOR DISASTERS
- 5 Freedoms
WHAT IS DR. DOG?
HOW CAN MY DOG JOIN THE PROGRAM?
Dr. Stitch
PAWS' Dr. Dog is an animal-assisted therapy program under Animals Asia's Dr. Dog Program.
We're always on the lookout for recruits! If you think you know any able capable possible Dr.Dog, lead 'em towards our scent! Aside from being very friendly and well-socialized, applicants must also be spayed/neutered.
For interested applicants, more details about Dr. Dog can be found below from the Animals Asia site:
Requirements
Basic Volunteer Requirements
Basic Requirements for Potential Dr. Dogs/Professor Paws
Is your dog suitable to be a Doctor or a Professor?
The Examination - what to expect
The examination for potential Dr. Dogs / Professor Paws consists of 3 basic parts and takes approximately 10 minutes:
1. Initial observation of the dog interacting with their owner, strangers and other dogs. Dogs should have a loving bond with their owner and appear relaxed and friendly towards new people and dogs.
2. Temperament Assessment: Examiners begin with a basic health check, examining eyes, ears, teeth and skin condition. This progresses to handling the dog all over, pulling ears, pinching skin, pulling their tail, blowing in their face, touching their paws and checking for possible areas of pain in the back and hips. We do need to handle the dogs quite roughly in order to asses their tolerance levels and reaction to patients (i.e. small children who may inadvertently pull their tail.) Dogs are also assessed for their reaction to loud noises and behaviour around food - they must remain calm and not 'snatch' at food, even when teased.
If a dog is not aggressive but shies away from human contact or seems unhappy, this is not a good choice for Dr. Dog. The programme promotes happy animals as well as happy people and it is not our aim to involve dogs who will simply put up with being patted. They must enjoy their role too!
3. Basic Obedience: Dogs should walk calmly and quietly on a leash with their owners and be able to "sit", "stay" and "come" on command. Owners should display a reasonable amount of control over their dog and the dog should respond readily to instructions. (As mentioned, we would be willing to be lenient with this requirement for as long as you have control over your dog at all times and he/she is well-mannered.)
Potential Dr. Dogs should…..
Potential Dr. Dogs should not….
We believe that dogs either have the sort of friendly, tolerant temperament required, or don't - and this is something that cannot be forced, but is inherent in a dog's personality. Few dogs pass the rigorous Dr Dog examination, but this does not make the ones that fail "bad" dogs. For this reason, we prefer that people do not engage in extra preparation, resulting in negative reinforcement, in order to "train" their dog for a Dr Dog programme.
There is no fee to join the PAWS Dr. Dog Program or for the assessment. For our Dr. Dog volunteers, the only cost is the transportation of getting to the school/hospital (though we do try to coordinate with the organization who has asked for the activity if they can provide the transpo/pick up of our volunteers).
If your dog is not yet spayed/neutered, we offer low-cost spay/neuter. The PARC Clinic rates can be found here: http://www.paws.org.ph/veterinary-services.html
Please let us know if/when you would like to schedule your dog for an assessment.
You may email [email protected] (SUBJECT: DR. DOG ASSESSMENT) or call tel. 475-1688 during office hours (10am-5pm Mondays to Saturdays except holidays).
Also if you are connected with any hospitals with wards that are full of our specialty - kids who are confined for long periods of time, sign us up for our rounds! The kind of medicine we bring is something to see! We're best with kids who are confined to their beds with the lights dimming in their eyes. We find their inner spark and ignite the flames of recovery!
To all our Doctor Dogs - we are so proud of you!
Keep up the good work!
Related links:
Dr. Dog Philippines (PAWS Website)
From street dog to Dr. Dog (PAWS Website)
Dr. Dog (Animals Asia Website)
Inquirer Magazine article (Sept 2011): Doggone it, these docs are too cute!
We're always on the lookout for recruits! If you think you know any able capable possible Dr.Dog, lead 'em towards our scent! Aside from being very friendly and well-socialized, applicants must also be spayed/neutered.
For interested applicants, more details about Dr. Dog can be found below from the Animals Asia site:
Requirements
Basic Volunteer Requirements
- Dr Dog volunteers must be over the age of 18 and have their own dog.
- Volunteers must be committed to the programme and its aims.
- Volunteers must have good "people skills" and an enthusiastic personality.
- Volunteers must be willing to be a part of a team and enjoy meeting new people.
Basic Requirements for Potential Dr. Dogs/Professor Paws
- Volunteer dogs of pedigree or mixed breed or aspins (Asong Pinoy) naturally need to be healthy and have a happy, placid, nature.
- Dogs must be at least two years old before examination.
- Both male and female dogs must be de-sexed (spayed/neutered). Read details on the benefits of de-sexing your dog.
- Dogs must display basic obedience skills. (PAWS note: We would be willing to be lenient with this requirement for as long as you have control over your dog at all times and he/she is well-mannered.)
- Dogs must have lived with the handler for at least 6 months prior to examination.
- All vaccinations must be up to date and proof of vaccination provided for our records.
- Any dog over 20 kg in weight must be held on a leash not more than 2 meters in length when in a public place (as specified by the Dangerous Dogs Legislation by the Agriculture and Fisheries Department (AFCD) in Hong Kong). (PAWS note: All owners must have their dogs on a leash at all times in public places, as stated in the Anti Rabiest Act of 2007. Small dogs may be carried by their owners, but please have a leash on hand.)
Is your dog suitable to be a Doctor or a Professor?
The Examination - what to expect
The examination for potential Dr. Dogs / Professor Paws consists of 3 basic parts and takes approximately 10 minutes:
1. Initial observation of the dog interacting with their owner, strangers and other dogs. Dogs should have a loving bond with their owner and appear relaxed and friendly towards new people and dogs.
2. Temperament Assessment: Examiners begin with a basic health check, examining eyes, ears, teeth and skin condition. This progresses to handling the dog all over, pulling ears, pinching skin, pulling their tail, blowing in their face, touching their paws and checking for possible areas of pain in the back and hips. We do need to handle the dogs quite roughly in order to asses their tolerance levels and reaction to patients (i.e. small children who may inadvertently pull their tail.) Dogs are also assessed for their reaction to loud noises and behaviour around food - they must remain calm and not 'snatch' at food, even when teased.
If a dog is not aggressive but shies away from human contact or seems unhappy, this is not a good choice for Dr. Dog. The programme promotes happy animals as well as happy people and it is not our aim to involve dogs who will simply put up with being patted. They must enjoy their role too!
3. Basic Obedience: Dogs should walk calmly and quietly on a leash with their owners and be able to "sit", "stay" and "come" on command. Owners should display a reasonable amount of control over their dog and the dog should respond readily to instructions. (As mentioned, we would be willing to be lenient with this requirement for as long as you have control over your dog at all times and he/she is well-mannered.)
Potential Dr. Dogs should…..
- Appear healthy, friendly and relaxed.
- Display no signs of fear or nervous tension.
- Happily allow strangers to approach.
- Appear interested in people and have an outgoing nature.
- Be able to handle a reasonable level of stress.
- Feel comfortable in strange surroundings and with crowds.
- Allow clumsy / over enthusiastic petting or pinching.
Potential Dr. Dogs should not….
- Bark or whine continually.
- Display territorial behaviour.
- Be aggressive towards other dogs.
- Be possessive over food or toys.
- Display any signs of anxiety.
We believe that dogs either have the sort of friendly, tolerant temperament required, or don't - and this is something that cannot be forced, but is inherent in a dog's personality. Few dogs pass the rigorous Dr Dog examination, but this does not make the ones that fail "bad" dogs. For this reason, we prefer that people do not engage in extra preparation, resulting in negative reinforcement, in order to "train" their dog for a Dr Dog programme.
There is no fee to join the PAWS Dr. Dog Program or for the assessment. For our Dr. Dog volunteers, the only cost is the transportation of getting to the school/hospital (though we do try to coordinate with the organization who has asked for the activity if they can provide the transpo/pick up of our volunteers).
If your dog is not yet spayed/neutered, we offer low-cost spay/neuter. The PARC Clinic rates can be found here: http://www.paws.org.ph/veterinary-services.html
Please let us know if/when you would like to schedule your dog for an assessment.
You may email [email protected] (SUBJECT: DR. DOG ASSESSMENT) or call tel. 475-1688 during office hours (10am-5pm Mondays to Saturdays except holidays).
Also if you are connected with any hospitals with wards that are full of our specialty - kids who are confined for long periods of time, sign us up for our rounds! The kind of medicine we bring is something to see! We're best with kids who are confined to their beds with the lights dimming in their eyes. We find their inner spark and ignite the flames of recovery!
To all our Doctor Dogs - we are so proud of you!
Keep up the good work!
Related links:
Dr. Dog Philippines (PAWS Website)
From street dog to Dr. Dog (PAWS Website)
Dr. Dog (Animals Asia Website)
Inquirer Magazine article (Sept 2011): Doggone it, these docs are too cute!
September 3, 2016 marks the 19th anniversary of the Animals Asia Foundation-Doctor Dog program in the Philippines and the 25th anniversary of the Dr Program itself.
Dr Dogs are certified therapy animals who visit the sick in hospitals and various institutions to give their own brand of healing to their patients.
Since 1997, with the very first Philippine Dr Dogs -Dr Pakko and Dr Freckles - PAWS' therapy dogs have been changing people's perception about companion animals in a positive way. This paved the way for the approval of the first anti-cruelty law in our country: Republic Act 8485 or the Philippine Animal Welfare Act
Today, our 18 active Dr Dogs on the roster are carrying on the legacy of Dr Max (the very first Dr Dog) and Drs Pakko and Freckles.
Dr Dogs are certified therapy animals who visit the sick in hospitals and various institutions to give their own brand of healing to their patients.
Since 1997, with the very first Philippine Dr Dogs -Dr Pakko and Dr Freckles - PAWS' therapy dogs have been changing people's perception about companion animals in a positive way. This paved the way for the approval of the first anti-cruelty law in our country: Republic Act 8485 or the Philippine Animal Welfare Act
Today, our 18 active Dr Dogs on the roster are carrying on the legacy of Dr Max (the very first Dr Dog) and Drs Pakko and Freckles.