Group gives patients a helping hand

Greg Selaggi's two cats, Sosh and Catto, have been more like children to him than pets. And their unconditional affection has become even more important, now that Selaggi has AIDS. "I wouldn't know what to do if I lost my cats," he said. And Philadelphia Pets are Wonderful, Inc. (PhillyPAWS) wants to make sure AIDS does not hinder Selaggi from taking care of his pets. PhillyPAWS founder Robert Moffat said the mission of the group is to provide home pet care, exercise, food and supplies for pet owners suffering from AIDS in the Philadelphia area. And recently, 39 University Veterinary school students have joined the group to provide care for those in need. On Friday, the group went to Selaggi's home to see the cats. Selaggi, who lives alone in his three room house, gleamed with pride while watching his companions frolic in the middle of the room. Because of his disease, Selaggi said he sometimes cannot care for his pets as well as he would like. Since last February, he's had four hospital stays. During those stays, Selaggi said he had difficulty feeding Sosh and Catto, so volunteers from PhillyPAWS came to help. Selaggi said he was grateful to PhillyPAWS for watching over his pets during one of his recent hospital stays, because the volunteers treated the cats very well. He added that he sometimes asks his friends to watch his cats, but said they do not do a very good job. "It's comforting to know that there's an organization that I can rely on for pet care," he said. "They really take care of the animals. I think it's an organization that's well needed in Philadelphia." PhillyPAWS already serves around 50 clients, although they have only been in existence for 10 months. The group, a completely non-profit organization funded through donations, is modeled after a similar organization is San Francisco. "I picked my richest friends and called them up," Moffat said. "I asked them for some help funding the project." Action AIDS Client Services Director Kevin Burns said people with the AIDS virus are often financially strapped, and may have difficulty paying someone to watch their pets. He added that people with AIDS are usually on disability and receive about $470 a month, which, after household and medical bills, is not sufficient for taking care of a pet. Burns said pets give companionship to people with AIDS -- people often isolated by much of the world. "Pets may be the one thing that keeps them going on a day to day basis," Burns said. "AIDS takes people's sense of control away from them." PhillyPAWS Intake Coordinator Sue Dakin said the group has a very special purpose. "The mission of PhillyPAWS is to make sure that people with AIDS don't lose their pets because they're sick," Dakin said. "Some people wouldn't be able to keep their animals if it wasn't for PhillyPAWS." One client is too ill to live at home and is now in a hospital, Dakin said. The group managed to find someone to adopt his two dogs -- one 16 years old and blind and the other 18 years old and deaf -- while the client is in the hospital. Moffat takes the dogs to visit the man once a week, she said. "It's the most wonderful story," Dakin said. "The guy cries when he sees the dogs." Dakin said the Vet School and PhillyPAWS are involved in a close relationship, since the Vet School provides free emergency care to clients of PhillyPAWS. "They don't even bill us," she said.