Virtual events to help pets and birds at the National Aviary
In five years, people and their pets raised $38,000 in the annual Friends of Jupiter Pet Walk in Boyce Park. This year’s walk had to be canceled, like everything else, because of the coronavirus, but Nicole Orlando, of Plum, has come up with a way to continue the tradition that helps local shelters and rescues.
The 2020 Friends of Jupiter Virtual Pet Walk will now be held in each walker’s neighborhood. Participants will walk 1 mile in their own neighborhood on any day in April they choose The donation is $10, and people can post photos of their walk on Facebook.
In past years, most people walked with dogs, but some cats in strollers and a pig or two have also walked for Jupiter.
The event was inspired by Jupiter, the little Maltese Ms. Orlando and her husband, Dustin, adopted seven years ago from Northcentral Maltese Rescue. That group rescued him from a puppy mill where he was used to sire many litters. He had no interaction with people, and he did not know how to wag his tail, play with toys or enjoy the attention of people.
In his foster home he initially spent most of his time hiding under beds and couches.
Ms. Orlando started the walk to help the organization that helped Jupiter. Then she added local rescues and shelters as beneficiaries.
Love and patience paid off, and Jupiter, now 10½ years old, is a happy dog. People really enjoyed seeing him at the walks, wagging his tail, having fun and enjoying the kindness — and petting — of strangers.
The local organizations that benefit from the virtual walk are Orphans of the Storm, Tiny Cause, Monroeville Animal Shelter, Doberman Underground, Hospaws and White Oak Animal Safe Haven.
Ms. Orlando works year-round on each walk, lining up vendors and gift baskets and other prizes that are raffled off. Those kinds of donations will be held in storage for next year’s walk. But gift cards and gift certificates from local businesses will be raffled off to virtual walkers because Ms. Orlando said she’d like to get that money out into the community.
You can pay the old-fashioned snail mail way. Make checks out to Northcentral Maltese Rescue and mail to Friends of Jupiter
Pet Walk, P.O. Box 14006, Pittsburgh, PA 15239.
Donations can be made through PayPal using friendsofjupiter@gmail.com, or you can go to www.friendsofjupiter.wixsite.com/petwalk to register for the virtual walk and to make donations.
Post photos of your walk at www.facebook.com/friendsofjupiterpetwalk or use #friendsofjupiterpetwalkpgh to post your pics on Instagram: @friendsofjupiterpetwalkpgh.
Aviary programs
The National Aviary is closed to the public, but the staff still has more than 500 birds to care for. To give people continued access to penguins, owls, parrots and so many other birds, and to generate income, the North Side facility has launched a CyBIRD Learning Platform for schools, families and scouts and other groups.
CyBIRD Distance Learning is designed for participation of an entire class, family or groups such as scouts. Aviary educators will meet the learners through the online tool Zoom. The experience will be interactive, with participants able to ask questions and see video of the animals and their habitats. Available programs include “Penguins Are Cool” and “Rainforests.” Cost is $90.
Aviary After School connects families with an Aviary expert for stories, videos and bird meet and greets. Cost is $15.
Reading With Red and Friends is an athome reading program with bird-themed stories. An Aviary staffer will read a story from one of the habitats, with birds like Red the scarlet macaw or the flock of flamingos. The program is free and will be offered Tuesdays at 1 p.m.
Registration and information: www.aviary.org. Or send email to info@aviary.org.