Pennies for Pups

PACC911

Uniting The Pet Rescue Community

Pennies For Pups
founded by 12-yr old Ciara Petronzio

Ciara started her own non-profit organization called Pennies for Pups in 2007 after losing her own Golden Retriever Dakota. Pennies For Pups was founded to help raise awareness, money, medication and food for sick, injured and abandoned dogs in local no kill animal shelters and foster care. As part of Pennies For Pups, Ciara has also started a “Paw Patrol” which helps stray or sheltered dogs find loving homes. Ciara and her family also provide foster care for Golden Retrievers through Rescue a Golden of AZ until they find their loving forever homes. Learn more at Ciara’s website www.penniesforpups.com

Ciara says, "Even though I’m only 12 years old, I’ve learned how to take my ideas, put them into motion, and achieve my goals. I hope all young people that read this will feel that they too have a lot to contribute. Find your passion, mine just happens to be animals, and find out how you can help. I promise that most times you will get more out of it then you put in. Helping others in need is a rewarding experience and it teaches you not to think of yourself but to think of others. So get out there, you’ll be glad you did!"

Get involved!
Ciara volunteers at local animal shelters, wraps gifts at Barnes & Noble during the holidays to raise money for Rescue a Golden of AZ, participates annually in the PACC911 Bowl-a-rama to raise money for local animal rescue organizations, holds school fundraisers and has hosted a book sale & dog show which raised over $1,000 for Rescue a Golden of AZ. Recently, Ciara conducted a Four Legged Food Drive that raised $1,700 and over 2,000 pounds of dog food. As a result, over 6,000 meals will be given to dogs in our local no kill shelters. Walgreen’s and the LPGA have partnered with Ciara in her efforts.

Just recently, the Valley Fever Alliance has asked Ciara to be their Jr. Spokesperson for their efforts at finding a cure for this disease that kills pets each year in Arizona. Ciara will be participating in their annual Dog Walk in November to help raise awareness for this disease. Lastly, Ciara will be the guest speaker at a Jr. Vet class being held at the Grayhawk Elementary School in June. She will discuss volunteering efforts and her non profit to children who have expressed interest in becoming veterinarians.

Because of her efforts on behalf of shelter animals, Ciara received last year’s Prudential’s Spirit of Community Service Award for Arizona and won a trip to Washington, D.C. where she was presented her award from former First Lady Laura Bush at a gala ceremony in the Smithsonian Museum.

Ciara's Story

Hi, my name is Ciara Petronzio and I am a 12 year old girl from Scottsdale, AZ. I would like to tell you about how I started volunteering and some of the amazing journeys it has taken me on.

In September of 2005, when I was 8 years old, our family golden retriever, Dakota, had to be put to sleep. This was devastating to me. Because I was an only child, Dakota was like a brother and best friend to me. His passing left a huge hole in my heart. A few months later, a friend told us about Rescue A Golden of Arizona. I went to their website and found out more about what they did…and my journey began.

In January 2006, I went to my first “Bark in the Park” and I was blown away. There were hundreds of beautiful Golden’s everywhere I looked, each one with an amazing story. Some were sick, some given up, others injured or abused-but they were all beautiful to me. I knew right then that I would do whatever I could to help them. One of the best things about volunteering for RAG is that they actually let you help. Many other organizations don’t let kids do anything but RAG put me to work that first day and made me feel that my efforts were important. One of the best things I learned that day is that RAG is filled with wonderful, generous people who want to help dogs in need.

A few months later, I took my next big step - fostering a dog in my home. My parents let me miss school to accompany them to the vet hospital where this dog had been staying. When they brought her out, a huge rush of emotions hit me. Why does she look like that? What’s wrong with her? I was scared and nervous. She had eye surgery and had black stitches on her face, shaved areas of fur on her body, missing teeth, and a huge cone on her head. Part of me wanted to run but part of me, the best part, told me that she needed my help. I got down on the floor and slowly stroked her fur. I knew right then that we had made the right choice. We brought her home and I learned about giving her medicines, cleaning her wounds, the horrors of puppy mills, being patient as she adjusted to her new environment, and teaching her to trust again. I used to lie on the floor with her for hours just trying to get her to trust me. I would pet her until she let me know that she’d had enough. But little by little I could actually see the changes in her. She went from a shy, sick, underweight, scared little girl to a beautiful healthy playful dog. The transformation in both of us was amazing. I learned that volunteering isn’t always easy but it’s always rewarding. When RAG told us that they found a family to adopt her I had mixed feelings and I cried when I watched her go, but I learned that she would have a forever home and I would have room in my house and my heart for another dog that needed me.

A few months later we got our next foster, Harley, and I started on another journey. This one taught me about seizure disorders, medications, 100 pound lap dogs, and a new word…foster failure. Just a few days after getting Harley, we all knew that we would be his forever home. We officially adopted him in 2006 and the next year we added another Golden boy, Magic, to our family. We have since brought them to many RAG events where I love to help. Wrapping books at Barnes and Noble, serving spaghetti at a charity dinners, helping at the Cynosport games, meet and greets, Bark in the Park, and even participating in a Bowl a Thon are just some of the events that I have gone to. There’s always something to do and in just a small amount of time we usually can raise much needed money for RAG. It gives me such a great feeling inside to know that I’m helping these beautiful dogs in need.

I decided last year that I wanted to do even more so I started my own charity called Pennies For Pups. I have held a penny drive at my school, had bake sales and lemonade stands, had booths at street fairs, organized a book sale and dog show and conducted a Four Legged Food Drive which raised over 2,000 pounds of dog food and over $1,700 dollars in donations. I’m proud to say that I have raised thousands of dollars for RAG and have helped raise awareness of their organization. Most importantly, I have fullness in my heart because what I’m doing is so rewarding.

The latest part of my journey has taken me to Washington D.C. I was honored to win the Prudential Spirit of Community Award for the state of Arizona. I was selected as the top middle school student volunteer and traveled there to meet with the other winners. I was thrilled to meet with First Lady Laura Bush and will never forget the encouragement she gave all of us to not only continue our volunteering efforts but to also go out and encourage other kids to get involved.

Even though I’m only 12 years old, I’ve learned how to take my ideas, put them into motion, and achieve my goals. I hope all young people that read this will feel that they too have a lot to contribute. Find your passion, mine just happens to be animals, and find out how you can help. I promise that most times you will get more out of it then you put in. Helping others in need is a rewarding experience and it teaches you not to think of yourself but to think of others. So get out there, you’ll be glad you did!