In anticipation of the annual Bideawee Ball next Monday, June 11, we spoke with the organization about everything from matching families with the perfect pets to involving children in animal training. —
Can
you tell us a bit about the history of the organization?
Bideawee was founded in 1903 by
Flora D’Auby Jenkins Kibbe after she returned from a trip to Paris and witnessed
the work of the Barrone d’Herpents Dog Refuge. Bideawee has served pets and pet
lovers throughout metropolitan New York for more than 100 years. In fact,
Bideawee is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the organization’s location in
Manhattan at 410 East 38th Street. For more than a century, Bideawee has
evolved to meet the changing needs of pets and pet lovers by expanding the
programs and services that the organization offers.
What kind of services do you
offer?
Bideawee has six primary
components: adoption centers, animal hospitals, Bideawee U – A Learning Center
for Pets and People, Bideawee training and behavior services, a dog park and pet
memorial parks.
What is the process that
goes into matching a family with a pet?
When a
family, or an individual, comes into one of the Adoption Centers at Bideawee,
the Bideawee Matchmaker sits and has a conversation with the adopter so that the
Matchmaker has a clear understanding of the lifestyle, activity level and living
situation of the adopter. This is extremely helpful as it allows the Bideawee
Matchmaker to make an introduction to a pet that will be easy to integrate into
the adopters’ current lifestyle and they can successfully begin the first step
of what will be a wonderful lifetime journey together.
How
do you involve children in your training sessions?
Mike
Rueb, Bideawee’s CPDT (Certifed Professional Dog Trainer), thinks it’s great to
have children as a part of the training sessions. They are generally willing
participants in the care of the dog and are often one of the reasons the dog is
in the training class in the first place (dog is jumping up/puppy nipping/fear
towards the child, etc.). Mike usually wants to empower the child by teaching
him or her how to make the dog "sit", "lie down", "stay", etc. In his group
classes or 1-1 training, Mike will instruct the parents to hold the leash, while
the child gives the commands.
What are the advantages to
adopting a pet through Bideawee?
All
Bideawee pets undergo medical and behavior evaluations prior to becoming
available for adoption. Bideawee Matchmakers have relationships with each of the
adoptable animals and can help potential adopters select the best pet for their
lifestyle, activity level and living situation. When an individual or family
adopts a pet from Bideawee, they have the benefit of returning to the Animal
Hospitals at Bideawee as a private client where the veterinarians and staff are
already familiar with their new pet so there is continuity of healthcare.
What is your best advice to
families considering adopting a pet?
Expectations are the most
important thing for the family to consider in advance. Before adopting a pet,
families need to get together and discuss what it will mean for the family and
the care that is needed: who is going to clean the litter boxes, walk the dog,
pick up after the pet, etc. Typically, parents end up doing most of the work,
so Bideawee advises parents to expect that these inevitabilities will fall on
them. Families have to remember that they are adopting an animal, not a robot.
It’s a good idea for parents to run through certain scenarios in their head
before adopting such as: "What would we do if the dog gets very ill?" or "What
if the cat starts going outside the litter box?" or "What if our puppy starts to
act aggressively?" etc. If they can answer all these kinds of questions and are
comfortable with the possible outcomes, then they are probably ready for a pet. Of course, there are some very good reading materials out there for first time
dog or cat owners. Doing some research can go a long way toward helping set
expectations and understanding the commitment needed when bringing a pet into
the home.
How
can families get involved in Bideawee?
There
are many opportunities for families to volunteer together at Bideawee in either
our Manhattan or Westhampton locations. Children between the ages of 10 and 18
must be accompanied by a parent or guardian when working with the animals. They
can walk, socialize with or clean up after the animals at the shelter, or they
may work at events promoting Bideawee and its services. We always appreciate
when families undertake fundraising projects or donation drives to collect pet
food and bedding.
