R 198
2001-H 6403
Enacted 5/8/2001


H  O  U  S  E     R  E  S  O  L  U  T  I  O  N

DECLARING MAY 8, 2001 AS THE "D.J. RESPECT FOR LIVING THINGS DAY" IN RHODE iSLAND

Introduced By:  Representative Dennigan Date Introduced:   May 8, 2001

WHEREAS, THE D.J. RESPECT FOR LIVING THINGS PROGRAM was born in Stacey Salotto's first grade classroom in New York in 1991. As Pearl Salotto recognized, Stacey's classmates were eager to follow D.J.'s example of unconditional love, as D.J. eagerly strolled up and down the aisles of outstretched hands and loving smiles; and

WHEREAS, Over the next decade, D.J. eagerly shared her love with people of all ages in schools and hospitals, in television stations and churches, in parks and neighborhoods; and

WHEREAS, D.J.'s legacy continues in the good work of therapy pets, Maj-En, Panda Girl, Pitou, Beano, Bibbitt, Cuddles, Lucy, Captain, Peanuts, Spooky, Goldie, Sam, Rosie, Lady-Bird, Mindy, Goldie the kitty cat, Patty, Lucy, Pip, Dancer, Charlie, Paul and Indy; and

WHEREAS, D.J's legacy continues through the Windwalker Humane Coalition for Professional Pet Assisted Therapy that educated the public on professional pet assisted therapy through sponsoring conferences, distributing newsletters, publishing calendars and by the quality programs set up by its members; and

WHEREAS, The profession of pet assisted therapy, grounded in our ethics, which calls for therapy pets to be family members of the professional pet assisted therapist and for their spontaneity and eagerness to set the tone for all interactions, is being recognized by health care professionals, social workers, educators and criminologists as a beautiful means to help build a friendlier, healthier, and more peaceful world; and

WHEREAS, Rhode Island can set an example for the nation so that, hopefully, children across this land can someday in the not too distant future receive the joy and self-esteem from a therapy pet at school and learn through ongoing expressions of feelings and integration of pet assisted therapy into academics, that it is each of our responsibilities to respect animals, other people, and ourselves, we hereby declare May 8, 2001, D.J.'s birthday, to be the "D.J. Respect for Living Things Day" in Rhode Island; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and he hereby is authorized and directed to transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to the D.J. Salotto Family.

As always, your comments concerning this page are welcomed and appreciated.

Thank you for stopping by!