In this fun and interactive talk, veterinarian Dr. Melissa Shapiro will bring to life the story of Piglet, the deaf blind pink puppy, as told in her children’s book Piglet Comes Home and her memoir Piglet: The Unexpected Story of a Deaf, Blind, Pink Puppy and His Family. Come meet Dr. Shapiro, Piglet, his Favorite Dad, and his dog siblings!
Adopted as a tiny anxious puppy, Piglet, a deaf blind dachshund chihuahua mix, quickly connected with his family, and the world around him. Facebook videos showing Piglet’s perseverance and determination caught the attention of a 3rd grade teacher who recognized Piglet’s potential to be a teaching model for growth mindset- or in Piglet’s world, a Piglet Mindset. Dr. Shapiro co-created the Piglet Mindset Educational Program to teach growth mindset, resilience, and inclusion lessons to children (and adults) in classrooms across the United States and around the world.
Dr. Shapiro’s talk will illustrate what it means to have a Piglet Mindset - complete with pictures, videos, and The Piglet Show, a live tap signal demo with Piglet and his sisters. Both children and adults are sure to walk away with a renewed inspiration to face their own challenges with a positive attitude and a Piglet Mindset!
In addition to taking care of seven dogs and two chickens, Melissa Shapiro is a small animal veterinarian, author, and speaker/advocate for pets and people with disabilities. She is also the driving force behind the social media phenomenon Piglet, the deaf blind pink puppy (@pinkpigletpuppy). She is the CEO and director of Piglet International Inc., a non-profit that raises awareness and funding for rescued and disabled animals and supports the Piglet Mindset Educational Program.
