Student volunteers who help with the Central New York SPCA's "Paws in Motion" program
Upstate students who love dogs — and exercise — can get a dose of both through the Central New York SPCA’s “Paws in Motion” program.
The program was started last spring by Steph Figary, a graduate student at SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry, and another SPCA volunteer. Upstate students heard about the program and have been running with dogs at the SPCA ever since.
Exercise makes the dogs calmer, which leads to quicker adoptions, Steph said. The students take dogs one at a time for a run on the roads behind the SPCA in Mattydale, and then let them off the leash to play inside a fenced, grassy area.
The dogs usually have plenty of pent-up energy from being inside the facility, which offers adoptions, education programs, spaying and neutering.
Dawn Lammert, Upstate MD/PhD student, with Kara
Upstate coordinator Dawn Lammert, a student in the MD/PhD program, said more student volunteers are needed, especially during winter when running outdoors can be less appealing — to humans, anyway.
“I’ve been trying to stay in shape now that I don’t play volleyball competitively, but there is only so much running I can do myself,” Dawn said. “The dogs are awesome motivators to get out and run, and they are always excited, even when it’s pouring.”
To volunteer with Paws in Motion, e-mail Dawn at lammertd@upstate.edu or Steph Figary at sefigary@syr.edu. There’s also a Paws in Motion Facebook page. And, you can check out Kara and the other dogs’ pictures/videos by going to the adoption page on the SPCA website.
“I started running with the dogs in August after hearing about it from a friend of Steph’s who worked in the lab across from me this summer,” Dawn said. “It seemed like a great idea for so many reasons: my parents have always had dogs, I love playing with dogs, I can’t have a dog in my apartment so it’s a great way to get to hang out with one, I get a workout, and the dog gets some fresh air and a workout too. Now running with the dogs is something I look forward to every week.”
Volunteers go through a short orientation session and work out a schedule with the SPCA, which is on East Molloy Road in DeWitt, about a 15-minute drive from campus.