Angel Paws Founder / Director,
Pet Partners® Team Evaluator & Instructor- Patti Shanaberg
Patti Shanaberg & Miss Molly Moo Ringwald
- Registered Pet Partner (formerly Delta Society) since 1999
- Licensed Pet Partners® (formerly Delta Society) Team Evaluator since 2003
- Reading Education Assistance Dogs ® (R.E.A.D.®) Literacy Mentor since 2004
- Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) Instructor Training, 2005
- Licensed Pet Partners® (formerly Delta Society) Team Instructor since 2012
- Reading Education Assistance Dogs Advanced Skills & Instructors Training, 2013
- Licensed Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) Instructor since 2013
- Pet Professional Guild Member since 2012
- Association of Pet Dog Trainers (APDT) Full Member since 2013
- Assistant to Vice President, Media Relations, HOME BOX OFFICE, Inc., Los Angeles, CA
- M.A. Candidate, Spiritual Psychology, University of Santa Monica, Santa Monica, CA
- M.A. Candidate, Rehabilitation Counseling, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
- B.A., Psychology & English Literature, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL
- A.A., Liberal Arts & Horsemanship, Bennett College, Millbrook, NY
A life-long love of animals and unique combination of personal and professional experiences have given Angel Paws Founder/Director, Patti Shanaberg, unique insight, passion and commitment to Animal Assisted Activities and Therapy. “Animals, with their complete lack of agenda, have a unique capacity to reach people on a whole new level many people underestimate. The scientifically proven therapeutic benefits of quality, standards based, Animal Assisted Activities and Therapy go far beyond the entertaining diversion people often think of.”
Experience on both sides of patient care has given Shanaberg an empathic understanding of the many challenges faced by both patients and caregivers. Shanaberg has worked as a Nursing Assistant at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, Illinois and held a number of graduate level internship and volunteer counseling positions as a masters degree candidate in Counseling Psychology at Southern Illinois University and at the University of Santa Monica’s Spiritual Psychology graduate program in Santa Monica, California.
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Shanaberg spent years training and showing horses on the national hunter & jumper horse show circuit. Following an equestrian accident in 1977 that resulted in a spinal cord injury and requires her to use a wheelchair, she's also spent significant time as a patient in various acute care hospitals. “Although I’ve continued to enjoy an active, healthy lifestyle (including competitive Mono-skiing) since my accident I’ve met many people with chronic conditions much more debilitating than my own. I’ve seen how either prolonged or repetitious confinement to a clinical environment – dependent on others and deprived of sufficient contact with nature or animals - even if only for a short time - can diminish the human spirit in profound ways that impedes the recovery process.” |
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Having also held administrative positions with a number of non-profit organizations, as soon as she learned about the Pet Partners® (formerly Delta Society) program Shanaberg realized that; “I can’t imagine any more important or appropriate work in which to dedicate my unique combination of personal and professional experiences." Shanaberg has also worked as Assistant to the Vice President of West Coast Media Relations at Home Box Office, Inc. and other public relations positions in Los Angeles, California. Her work has resulted in a number of media placements in a variety of outlets from "Entertainment Tonight" to The New York Times and People magazine. “After years of working in various forms of the entertainment and media relations industries,” Shanaberg felt that; “it was time for me to do something for people in real need.” |
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Since 1999 Shanaberg and her dog Samantha have served as a registered Pet Partners® Volunteer Therapy Team in a variety of health care facilities including Santa Monica UCLA Medical Center, West Los Angeles Veterans Hospital and the Ronald McDonald House. After relocating to Newark, Ohio in 2001 Shanaberg completed additional Pet Partners® training at Summa Health Systems in Akron, Ohio (a level I Trauma Center rated among the top 50 U.S. Hospitals by the Joint Commission on Hospital Accreditation); completed both academic and practical training to become a licensed Pet Partners® Team Evaluator; and a registered Reading Education Assistance Dogs® (R.E.A.D.®) literacy mentor.
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Sadly, in February of 2010, after accumulating over 500 hours of service and helping to train 30 Angel Paws Pet Partners therapy teams Shanaberg's Pet Partner and Angel Paws canine co-founder, Samantha, lost her battle with cancer at nearly 14 years old.
Soon a stray named Molly Moo entered Shanaberg's life, they passed their Pet Partners Skills & Aptitude Test in June of 2011, Shanaberg completed training to become a licensed Pet Partners® Instructor and Molly became a registered R.E.A.D. dog in early 2012. The team attended Reading Education Assistance Dogs' Advanced Skills & Instructors Training workshops in Indianapolis, Indiana and Shanaberg completed requirements to become a licensed R.E.A.D. Instructor in June of 2013. |
In the fall of 2015 Angel Paws was awarded Pet Partners Community Partner status reserved for regional leaders in the field of Animal Assisted Interactions.
Ms. Shanaberg continues to dedicate her enthusiasm and experience to the development of safe and effective AAA/T in a variety of Central Ohio health care and educational facilities. “It’s been a privilege to bring the top quality standards of Pet Partners® and R.E.A.D.® to Central Ohio and to introduce the many rewards of Animal Assisted Therapy to such a diverse group of dedicated volunteers here – a true labor of love. I think our volunteers really enjoy spending quality time with their pets while serving others and networking with other animal lovers - and there's no doubt that we're helping others in deep and meaningful ways which is so rewarding."
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Ms. Shanaberg continues to dedicate her enthusiasm and experience to the development of safe and effective AAA/T in a variety of Central Ohio health care and educational facilities. “It’s been a privilege to bring the top quality standards of Pet Partners® and R.E.A.D.® to Central Ohio and to introduce the many rewards of Animal Assisted Therapy to such a diverse group of dedicated volunteers here – a true labor of love. I think our volunteers really enjoy spending quality time with their pets while serving others and networking with other animal lovers - and there's no doubt that we're helping others in deep and meaningful ways which is so rewarding."
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