Helping Paws International

10/02/2026

Blessing of the Animals - Triangle Area

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church
2723 Clark Ave
• Date & Time: Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 5:30 PM
• Address: 2723 Clark Ave, Raleigh, NC 27607
• Details: Enjoy a joyful evening of worship, dinner, and music alongside the annual pet blessing. Free to attend.

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White Memorial Presbyterian Church
1704 Oberlin Rd
• Date & Time: Sunday, October 4, 2026, from 5:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Address: 1704 Oberlin Road, Raleigh, NC 27608
• Details: Held in the Carol Copeland Courtyard with song, prayer, and a brief meditation. Donations like pet food and litter will be collected for the SPCA of Wake County

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St. Ambrose Episcopal Church
813 Darby St
• Date & Time: Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 2:00 PM
• Address: 813 Darby St, Raleigh, NC 27610
• Details: A kid-friendly indoor service and community gathering welcoming all furry and feathered pets for a blessing.

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Saint Andrews United Methodist Church
1201 Maxwell Dr
• Date & Time: Sunday, October 4, 2026, at 3:00 PM
• Address: 1201 Maxwell Drive, Raleigh, NC 27603
• Details: Community pet blessing service.

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Christ Church
4501 Spring Forest Rd
• Date & Time: Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 5:30 PM
• Address: Raleigh, NC (South courtyard)
• Details: An informal festive service observing the Feast Day of Saint Francis of Assisi.

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Christus Victor Lutheran Church
1615 E NC 54 Hwy, Durham, NC
Saturday, October 3, 2026
10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Bring your pets for this annual animal blessing. Follow the above link for more information, when it’s announced.

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St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
1737 Hillandale Road, Durham, NC
Saturday, October 3, 2026
1 p.m.

Beloved pets of all types and stripes, on leashes or in carriers, are welcome to receive a blessing from the clergy! Bring your pet’s picture or favorite toy to be blessed if your pet would not enjoy the festive atmosphere. Pets who would love to be there are invited to participate in the pet costume contest, with prizes for first, second, and third place! St. Luke’s Pumpkin Patch opens on this day at 1 p.m.

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Duke University Chapel
401 Chapel Drive, Durham, NC
Sunday, October 4, 2026 at 3 p.m.

Dogs, cats, and other animals will join ministers and the Durham Children’s Choir for this Blessing of the Animals worship service on the Duke Chapel Quad. Pet owners are welcome to bring their animals to receive a blessing as part of the service.

The service will last about thirty minutes and includes music from the Durham Children’s Choir, scripture readings, and a sermon. Individual animal blessings will take place immediately after the service.

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Trinity Episcopal Church
1128 South Main Street, Fuquay-Varina, NC
Saturday, October 10, 2026
12 to 3 p .m.

This event includes food trucks, face painting, balloon animals, live music, Police K9 demo, group blessings, vendors and more.

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Send a message to learn more

09/29/2026

09/24/2026

Event Reminder:
Great Global Greyhound Walk
Sunday, September 27
Graham, NC 1:00 pm
Walk theme this year: Mystical Hounds The Graham Walk will have a Mystical Hounds costume contest. You may dress your hound or bring a recent picture of your hound in costume if you feel it is too hot for costumes.
Prizes: Trophy for 1st, 2nd, 3rd place. See picture of 1st place
Crystal says see her example of a mermaid, a mystical creature. Don't let it scare you. Mom says since I am the walk hostess that I can wear a costume but I can't complete. Also even if you are doing an earlier walk at another location, please come join us at 1:00 pm for a late lunch & ice cream
Full info below.
GRAHAM, NC
Court Square, the walk will kick off at 1:00 pm
104 E. Elm Street
Graham, NC 27253
1:00 pm
Public Group Walk - Greyhounds and other Sighthounds
Walk Organizer: Helping Paws Greyt-Therapy Dogs
https://www.facebook.com/HP.Greyhound.Therapy.Dogs/
Walking Group Name: NC Triad Greyts & Friends
Lunch/ice cream Mystical Hounds Costume Costest
Parking is available at 104 E. Elm Street - free parking.
We will meet at Colonial Hardware parking lot area and will kick off the walk at 1:00 pm. Group Photo and greyhound teams count will be recorded. We will circle Court Square and then have a group photo taken & hand out walk certificates.
After the walk join us for frozen custard at Whit’s Frozen Custard of Graham, 21 SE Court Square, Graham, NC and/or for sandwiches at the Graham Soda Shoppe SE Court Square, Graham, NC

09/20/2026

2026 Great Global Greyhound Walk North Carolina Locations.
September 27, 2026

08/21/2026

T'S A PARTY!
Saturday is my 12th birthday but we are celebrating on Sunday with a small party. Come join me for some cake & doggie ice cream on me. If you & your human want lunch then your person will need to pay for that.
RSVP by Friday night so I will know how many ice cream cups to bring.
Location:
Nantucket Restaurant
Sutton Station
5826 Fayetteville Rd #101
Durham, NC 27713
Time: 11:30 am
RSVP by Friday, Aug 21 8:00 pm

07/13/2026

Has your dog been diagnosed with osteo or other cancers?
Would you like a PRIVATE place to discuss it with others living through the same experience? Before yahoo closed it groups we had Bone Cancer Dog and for the greyhounds Circle of Gray.
There were combined into Canine Osteo Cancer Warriors on Groups.io. That group has been upgraded. If you are interested in connection with others where you can email, send files, photos, cry, support, etc. Here is the info:
How to Join Canine Osteo & Cancer Warriors
1. Go to Groups Home page:
https://groups.io/g/CANINE-OSTEO-CANCER-WARRIORS
On the group’s home page, look for a button you can click to join the group:
• Join This Group.
or
• Apply For Membership In This Group.
2. Click the button, and follow the subsequent instructions.
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How to Join Canine Osteo & Cancer Warriors by email
1. Send an empty email message to the subscription address to join the group (or request membership, The subscription email address is:
CANINE-OSTEO-CANCER-WARRIORS+[email protected]
Important: After you send a message to a group’s subscription email address, you will receive a confirmation request message from Groups.io. You must respond to that confirmation request to complete your subscription and join the group

06/20/2026

🧘🏻‍♀️

05/27/2026

New HUD regulations redefine Emotional Support Animals, impacting disabled renters

https://dredf.org/huds-esa-policy-reversal/

https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/trump-administration-alters-emotional-support-animal-rules-1798528

New regulations follow ADA regulations/definitions so ESA's must now have some training and testing. Helping Paws/ HP-GreytTherapy has always required training and the public access testing for all of our dogs/animals. Please note that the ADA only recognizes dogs and mini horses as service animals.

Send a message to learn more

05/19/2026

https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=122254572344120655&set=a.122129402234120655

🐶⚠️ Signs of Pain in Dogs That Many People Miss

Dogs naturally hide pain as a survival instinct, which means small physical and behavioral changes can reveal more than obvious symptoms. Learning to recognize these signs helps improve their comfort, health, and quality of life.

👀 Watch their eyes carefully
Half-closed eyes, avoiding eye contact, or a dull expression can indicate discomfort or emotional stress.

👂 Pay attention to ear position
Ears pinned back, held flat, or carried stiffly may be signs that a dog is feeling pain or anxiety.

🦴 Observe posture and movement
An arched back, stiff walking, difficulty climbing stairs, or hesitation when standing up can point to physical discomfort.

🍽️ Notice changes in appetite
A sudden loss of interest in food, treats, or unusual eating habits can sometimes be linked to pain or illness.

😮 Monitor breathing and restlessness
Panting without heat or exercise, shallow breathing, and inability to settle down are common warning signs.

🛋️ Look for behavioral changes
Dogs in pain may isolate themselves, become less interactive, or appear more irritable than usual.

👅 Check for excessive licking or biting
Repeated licking or chewing of certain body areas may indicate irritation, inflammation, or hidden pain.

🐾 Small changes matter
Even subtle differences in daily habits, energy levels, or movement can reveal that something is not right.

Dogs rarely complain about pain directly, but their body language communicates a lot. Careful observation and early attention can make a meaningful difference in their well-being.