The Human-Animal Connection Works for Stuttering

For Immediate Release
Contact: Greg Wilson
greg@curleycompany.com
(571) 239-7474

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Picture caption: Lia Schwartz and Pauly, from left to right, Jane Fraser, Holly Clark and Georgie, and Alan Rabinowitz.

NEW YORK CITY (May 12, 2016) —“From the Mayo Clinic to Emory University to our friends at Pet Partners®,there is growing interest in the important connection between human health and animals,” said Jane Fraser, president of the Stuttering Foundation.

“For those who stutter, finding someone who will be patient and listen is important. A therapy dog fills the bill! People are judgmental—animals aren’t—and those who struggle with stuttering know the difference. For them, having the opportunity to talk and be heard may be crucial in coping with this complex disorder.”

To bring focus and attention to this new aspect of helping those who stutter, the Foundation hosted a gala Thursday in New York City during National Stuttering Awareness Week, May 9-14. It highlighted Stuttering and the Animal Connection with renowned wildlife conservationist Alan Rabinowitz and two Pet Partners teams that specialize in human-animal therapy.

“We are thrilled by the perspective Alan brings to this effort. During difficult times with stuttering during his childhood, animals played a huge role, from the pet lizard he kept in his closet to the caged jaguar he cried with in the zoo. We also salute Pet Partners therapy dogs, Pauly and Georgie, for reminding us of the comfort and kindness a trusted therapy pet can bring to us all—and especially to those who stutter.”

Seventy million people around the world stutter. If you are one of them, you are not alone. We are here to help.

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Foundation Spokesperson Jane Fraser
Jane Fraser is president of The Stuttering Foundation and co-author of If Your Child Stutters: A Guide for Parents, 8th edition. She is also vice president of the Action for Stammering Children, Michael Palin Centre, London.

About the Stuttering Foundation
Malcolm Fraser, a successful businessman and stutterer, established and endowed the nonprofit Stuttering Foundation in 1947. The Stuttering Foundation provides a toll-free helpline, 800-992-9392, and free online resources on its Website, www.StutteringHelp.org, including services, referrals and support to people who stutter and their families, as well as support for research into the causes of stuttering.

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