Hi friends! Reef the Fox here, reporting on a matter of great civic importance. Today, Aug. 27 is officially Pawsitive Beginnings Day in Monroe County.
Yes. We have a day. Please remain calm.
On Aug. 27, 2024, then-Monroe County Mayor Holly Raschein proclaimed it as Pawsitive Beginnings Day, recognizing the work this little sanctuary has done for both animals and people throughout our community.
Now, as the fox responsible for reporting the important happenings around here, I feel obligated to point out that from my perspective, every day is Pawsitive Beginnings Day. Breakfast is served here. Dinner is served here. Snacks are distributed here. Mother spends an unreasonable amount of her life cleaning up after us here. I’m unclear why the county felt we needed additional recognition.
But apparently this is bigger than snacks.
The proclamation recognized Pawsitive Beginnings for its dedication to animal welfare, youth development and mental health awareness, and for fostering compassion and unity throughout Monroe County. It also recognized something mother has believed from the beginning: helping animals and helping people do not have to be separate missions.
Pawsitive Beginnings began as a safe place for foxes rescued from the fur and exotic pet trades. Somewhere along the way, something unexpected happened. The foxes who needed healing began helping humans heal, too. Through our animal-assisted programs, partnerships with local organizations and the Human-Animal Alliance Healing Den, hundreds of people have experienced what can happen when humans are given a safe place to slow down, connect and spend time with animals who have their own stories of resilience.
We foxes, of course, take full credit.
But mother says Pawsitive Beginnings Day really belongs to everyone who has helped make this place what it is: the donors, volunteers, community partners, organizations, friends and supporters who believed a tiny fox sanctuary in Key Largo could make a difference.
It also belongs to the foxes who came before us, the ones who are here now and the ones who may someday need a safe place to land.
Two years after that proclamation was signed, the mission remains the same: Give animals who have already been through enough the best lives possible and, whenever we can, use their stories to bring a little healing, compassion and understanding into the human world.
You can learn more about all the amazing things that happen here at our brand new website: pawsitivebeginnings.org.
Until next time, Reef, over and out!
