Students in the Veterinary Assistant program at Ross Medical Education Center campus in New Baltimore, Michigan are doing their part to help animals that are waiting for their forever homes in shelters and rescue groups across southeast Michigan. That’s why the Veterinary Assistant students held a donation drive on campus to collect items to create what they call Paw-sitive Tread Beds. Several companies donated old tires, and the entire campus helped by donating many blankets, pillows, comforters, and paint.
First they collected 12 used tires, then went through three cans of paint, and all of the other supplies to lovingly put together the beds. Students worked hard at home to cut, clean, paint, and decorate the tires. The blankets, pillows and comforters were then placed in the middle to make it a comfortable place for the dogs to rest. “We even tried it out in the classroom, where it was a big hit with some of our guest pets that had come to visit,” shared Campus Director Jennifer Maniaci. One student said, “we enjoy working hard for the fur babies.”
By providing these tread-beds to local non profit animal organizations, it helps out drastically as most time they do not have funds to purchase bedding for some of the animals that they house. It also gives the animals a comfortable place to sleep in, rather than just to just lie on the cold cement. Every Veterinary Assistant student and their instructors helped. The Veterinary Assistant students posted signs around campus and also went around to each classroom explaining what they were doing and why. Instructors and students also posted the donation drive on social media, and they received donations of blankets and pillows from spreading the word. Every classroom donated items, and administrative staff also participated by donating items for the beds as well.
The students contacted several rescue groups and hospitals, including Serenity Animal Hospital in Sterling Heights, Detroit Animal Welfare Group, and Rejoyceful Animal Rescue in Clinton Township. They then hand delivered the Tread Beds to them. “It was so nice to see all of our students participating together, on their own time to put these beds together,” said Jennifer Maniaci. “And they feel good about doing their part to help out some of our many nonprofit rescue groups in the area who have dedicated their lives to help unwanted and abandoned pets have a safe, warm home of their own.” Overall the New Baltimore campus was overjoyed to participate in such a wonderful and fun event!