Purr-fect mix: Girls Scouts volunteer at Clarion PAWS

For the past eight months, Girl Scouts from Clarion Troop 17024 have been donating their time at Clarion PAWS feline adoption center.

According to troop leader Katie Taggart, the girls clean litter boxes, freshen the food, give fresh water, sweep floors and bedding, and do a lot brushing and grooming.

Of course, “they also play with the cats,” she said.

For the Girl Scouts, the volunteering at Clarion PAWS (Pet Adoption and Welfare Society) is both a learning and fun experience.

“They really do love it,” Taggart said. “They love to see what new cats there are and they like to see which cats have been adopted. That is really special. They always seem to pick a favorite by the end of the two hours.”

She said the girls don’t take any cats home because “they all have cats.”

Eight-year-old Brownie Scout Paisley Snyder said she enjoys coming to Clarion PAWS because she likes to see the kittens and feed them, although she admits to not being fond of scooping litter boxes.

“Our goal is to teach the girls about service and volunteering. All of the girls love helping the animals,” Taggart said.

Assistant troop leader Jessica Yonker said the Girl Scouts will donate a bag of cat food to Clarion PAWS if anyone who adopts a cat in June mentions they saw the article in the newspaper.

The volunteer effort is just one of the things that is done in the community by the Girl Scouts, who meet twice a month and work on different badges.

“We try to get out in the community,” Taggart said. “During the summer we do more field trips and we participate in the ALF parade every year.”