Tails wagged while busy hands crafted floral collars, leashes and bandanas at the Coronado Public Library on Monday night. It was all part of the Coronado Floral Association’s “Friends & Flowers” collaboration with PAWS.
“We are so excited because this is two worlds colliding,” said Christine Mott, who serves on the boards of both PAWS of Coronado and the Coronado Floral Association. “We have the Coronado Floral Association and all of that beauty and energy, and PAWS of Coronado, our one and only animal shelter here in Coronado.”
Two adoptable PAWS dogs — Callie and Maya — were at the event, serving as animal ambassadors for the shelter animals. They posed for pictures and gave snuggles and enthusiastic kisses while community members worked hard on their projects.
“It’s a great chance to hear about the wonderful work that PAWS does for our community, while we are decorating collars and leashes and bandanas. People can bring them to their own pets or donate them to the dogs and cats at PAWS so they can look snazzy when they go on walks,” said Mott.
Jackie Williams, executive director of PAWS of Coronado, was at the event to share some interesting facts about the nonprofit. Contrary to popular belief, PAWS is not fully-funded by the City of Coronado. Roughly 50% of funds come from the city, explained Williams.
The rest is funded by grants and donations from local community members and businesses.
“And we do a lot behind the scenes that people don’t really realize,” said Williams. “We work with the City of Coronado to license animals and microchip them, and we provide vaccination clinics and emergency boarding.”
It’s all part of the strategic vision of PAWS: to focus on community engagement, provide superior medical care and advocate for animal welfare.
She shared that PAWS is currently at capacity, and desperately seeking fosters for dogs.
Chancel Siebuhr, the behavior and animal transition manager, shared that PAWS provides support for animals experiencing behavioral challenges. PAWS even trains volunteers specifically for this purpose.
“Behavioral training really helps their mental health,” said Siebuhr. “A shelter isn’t a normal place for animals, so we try to provide as much support as we can while they stay with us.”
The event was organized in part by Friends & Flowers, which is a free community program hosted at the Coronado Library by the Coronado Floral Association. It offers monthly educational events about gardening, floral design, and horticulture to foster community connection and appreciation for plants and flowers. Keep your eye out for more Friends & Flowers events by visiting the events section of the Coronado Library website.
To learn more about PAWS and how you can help, visit the PAWS website.
