As an attorney in Los Angeles, I have often, actually too often, had the desire to produce a Power Paws character to ease the overwhelming hurt sorrow and even anger in children.  Early in my career I worked in the Children’s Court.  There, countless little ones are in pain.  If there were videos playing on the tv screens that they could watch while awaiting their fate it would do wonders to ease their individual pain, as they face adoption, foster care, separation and fear. 

Later on I found myself working as a prosecutor for Los Angeles.  Children of parents who are in the criminal justice system because of their mom or dad’s domestic violence, child abuse, drugs, and/or gang activity.  All of these children have an overwhelming need for Smooch and the Power Paws.  Often times one parent will bring their little ones to court to see Daddy or Mommy in handcuffs and behind bars.  They often cry out “Mommy” or “Daddy” yet are unable to go to them. The parents have no idea how the children are feeling and nor do they seem to understand the fear and sorrow I could see in their eyes. Once again, how beneficial it would be for them to have a Smooch and his coworkers to listen to, to lean upon, to hold on to and to help them with their pain.
The above is a tiny sample of what I witnessed on a daily basis for 20 years. There’s a tremendous need out there…. Smooch and Power Paws could bring a smile and provide helping paw to SO very many.

911 was a horrific time for New York and our country. There is an old saying that says “out of something bad comes something good”. Well the bad was the 911 attacks and the good was Meredith and Smooch. I was a NYPD Detective searching through the piles of debris looking for survivors at ground zero when I was assigned to escort Meredith. At first I was not thrilled with the idea of being a personal escort; I wanted to continue to search for survivors. However after meeting Meredith and seeing how a simple gesture of kindness of presenting the workers at Ground Zero with Smooch, and explaining that smooch was a guardian angel kitten watching over them, I began to see why this was important. Even the toughest police officers, firemen and construction workers were emotional after hearing Smooch’s story. Everyone who heard the story wanted to bring Smooch home to their family members. Meredith and I continued to walk Ground Zero for about a month speaking to anyone and everyone who was involved in the search and recovery efforts. Meredith and Smooch were able to bring a little brightness to a very dark time in our history. Children today need to see that there is good even when things seem at their worst and the Sissy and Smooch story does just that.

I fell in love with the concept of Sissy and Smooch right from the very beginning. It is such a wonderful approach to introduce a subject that small children are often afraid or concerned of that lets them know they are not alone, and makes them aware that others have felt as they do. It is a universal message that crosses the test of time, and that children all over the world can relate to.