THERAPY DOGS Alliance of - Winter 2020 - Alliance of Therapy ...
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Alliance of ce of Therapy
THERAPY DOGS
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NEWSMAGAZINE Winter 2020 Ye
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When and How Do I Renew?
One renewal date per household – October through March registrations will
renew on January 1 of each year. April through September registrations will
renew on July 1 of each year.
Electronic renewals will be sent out 60 days prior to renewal and will be on
the member portal.
Hard copy renewal notices should be received 30 days prior to your renewal
date.
Electronic second notices will be generated January 1 and July 1. Hard copies
will be mailed out by January 15 and July 15.
All renewals received after your renewal date will be assessed a $10 late fee.
If your renewal is late, there is no insurance coverage between your renewal
date and the date your renewal is finalized. Any member who does not renew,
including the $10 late fee, by February 15 or August 15, will be required to
retest and reapply for ATD membership.
Prepare to renew:
Make sure your dog has had an annual wellness examination by a veterinarian
within 12 months.
Be sure the rabies vaccination is current.
If using a titer instead of rabies vaccine, rabies titer levels must be 0.5 IU or
greater and must be measured every two years.
Your dog’s annual fecal exam must be done within 12 months. Make sure the
fecal exam is done early enough to get results and, if positive, get treatment
and retest.
Your veterinarian will sign off on the Renewal Health Verification form
DISCLAIMER attesting that all three items are up to date.
We edit your stories the best we can, but Time to renew:
do trust our members to provide correct
or verified information. We are not
You can go to www.therapydogs.com to renew online. Sign into the member
professional journalists or copy editors.
portal. Your username is your email address, and your initial password (if
We are volunteers. We try our best to
you have not changed it) is your member number.
catch errors, misspellings and incorrect Complete your review. T/Os take the T/O Review. All other members take
information. But sometimes we err! the Member Review.
You will print your Renewal Health Verification Form, have your veterinarian
ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS complete it, scan and upload it, and save.
Single issue, full page $80, half page
Include the appropriate fees. Make your check payable to Alliance of Therapy
$60, and quarter page $40. Alternative
Dogs or put your credit card information in the space provided. All credit
method – requested size ad is run, and
card information is deleted once your renewal is processed. You can also pay
advertiser agrees to donate 10% of their
online by going to the Member Portal. Electronic Funds Transfers (EFTs) are
profits from the ad to ATD, but in no case
not accepted.
will it be less than the cost of the ad. Ad
must be camera ready and submitted to Payment without the signed renewal health verification form will not be
ATD office no later than February 15 for accepted. All required materials must be submitted together. Your
the Spring/Summer issue and August 31 renewal will not be processed until the office has received all required
for the Fall/Winter issue. materials.
We appreciate all that you do to prepare for your renewal. Please remember
Alliance of Therapy Dogs Newsmagazine
that postage fees are a large expense for our organization. We strive to keep
is published two times a year. Any articles
our membership fees as low as possible. Please help us by returning your
published in Alliance of Therapy Dogs
complete membership renewal package with all required materials and signa-
newsmagazines may be reprinted with credit
tures to arrive by your appropriate renewal date. This way, your membership
given to the author of the article and the
and insurance will not lapse and you will avoid incurring late fees.
statement: Reprinted with permission from
Alliance of Therapy Dogs Newsmagazine If you have any questions concerning the member renewal process, please
(ex.: Vol. 1, Issue 2, p. 60) or whatever issue it contact the corporate office on the toll free number 307-432-0272 or email
is taken from. us at office@therapydogs.com.
©Alliance of Therapy Dogs 2020
ALLIANCE OF THERAPY DOGS
Officers Directors
in Alphabetical Order
Pat Coglianese (President)
New City, NY Tosha Aldridge
Rocky Mount, NC
Kimberly Williams
(Vice President) Monica Callahan
Kearney, NE Grafton, OH
Kelsey J. Gilmore-Futeral Carroll Colasardo
(Secretary) Mesa, AZ
Mount Pleasant, SC
Stefanie Giese-Bogdan
Don Vaughan (Treasurer) River Falls, WI
Kasson, MN
Peggy Grookett
Philadelphia, PA
Board Advisors
Billie Smith (Executive Director) Keith Pettway
Cheyenne, WY Cleveland, MS
Amy Brockel (Office Manager) Stacy Plummer
Cheyenne, WY Creswell, OR
Jane Hirsch Laurie Schlossnagle
(Immediate Past President) Layton, UT
Mt. Pleasant, SC
Jeanette Sinohui
Teri Meadows (Past President) Phoenix, AZ
Golden, CO
MAGICAL MIRACLE MOMENTS All communications regarding
We would like to hear about your story of a very special or “magical” applications for membership, renewals,
moment you and your wonderful dog experienced in your volunteer concerns, issues, general questions and
requests for merchandise are processed
work. Examples may be a patient who has been totally unresponsive
by the corporate office and should be
until a dog visits and, the next thing you know, they are smiling, sent to:
petting the dog, a tear running down their face. Or a child who
simply cannot read, and one day reads an entire book to a therapy Alliance of Therapy Dogs
dog. Mailing address:
These articles should focus only on the special, unique moment, not P. O. Box 20227
the everyday miracles we experience with our dogs on regular visits. Cheyenne, WY 82003
Requirements: Physical Address:
• 1,000 words or less 1919 Morrie Ave.
• Author’s name, city and state Cheyenne, WY 82001
• Photos with photo releases attached 307-432-0272
• In a format able to be edited, such as a word document 877-843-7364 (Toll Free)
If your story is not published in this section it may be published in 307-638-2079 (Fax)
Email: office@therapydogs.com
another section and/or on Facebook.
Website: www.therapydogs.com
CONTENTS
When and How Do I Renew? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ii Greetings from Bend, OR, and
Alliance of Therapy Dogs: “Team Roo”! . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Officers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Alliance Therapy Dog Extraordinaire!. . . . . . . . . . 18
Executive Director. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Therapy Dog Volunteerism and COVID. . . . . . . . . 19
Advisors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii
Directors. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Magical Miracle Moments – A Dog’s Story. . . . . . 20
Magical Miracle Moments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Phoebe, Mazi and Parker. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Mission Statement. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii Gemma the Pioneer. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
President’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 Thirty Fabulous Years of ATD. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Lucy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
A Special Thank You For Our Volunteers . . . . . . . . 2
Reading with Alliance of Therapy Dogs. . . . . . . . . 29
2020/2021 Alliance of Therapy Dogs
Committees. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 My Most Important Assignment. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Merchandise. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Tails of Venice (Florida). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Merchandise Order Form . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Wiley During a Pandemic . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
What’s Wrong. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Magical Miracle Moments – Sasha. . . . . . . . . . . . . 36
Requirements for Alliance of Therapy ATD 30th Annivaersary Word Search. . . . . . . . . . 37
Dogs Newsmagazine Submissions. . . . . . . . . . . 8 Tilley and the Heroes Among Us . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Alliance Of Therapy Dogs Scholarship. . . . . . . . . . . 9 Meet your board members . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
Spotlight on . . . Tosha Aldridge, director. . . . . . . 10 Dogs in the News
Camo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Therapy Dog Parade. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Magical Miracle Moments – Bringing What's Wrong answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Happiness and Joy in Central Florida. . . . . . . 14 Announcing 30 Fabulous Awards
Briggs Connection Extension 30 Fabulous Years. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
The Find and the Follow-Up. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Retired. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Isis-Ria. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Photograph Authorization Release Form. . . . . . . . 46
One Bewildered Therapy Dog. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Somewhere Over the Rainbow. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Gracie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Photo Tags & IDs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
T/Os GET ON BOARD!
Would you like to help ATD continue to grow and develop? Do you have
ideas for the future? Do you have time to help with organization and
committee operations?
If your answer is YES, we need you! If you’re interested in
applying for a director position, please contact the office. We have
occasional openings and will call on you when the time comes. File your
credentials now!
Fall 2020 President’s Message
In these ways, and many others we have stayed
connected with the communities we serve during a very
difficult time.
The Board of Directors held our three-day annual
meeting virtually using Zoom. Much of the discussion
focused on the pandemic and implications for animal
assisted activities. Realizing that it would be difficult to
meet all the requirements for certification, the board
made some temporary changes:
• ATD continues to require members to follow the
rules established by the facility you are visiting.
Please also follow local rules and guidelines set forth
by the CDC. As stated in the Member Handbook, if
any facility rules conflict directly with ATD, please
contact the office at office@therapydogs.com or by
phone at (307)432-0272 for guidance.
• ATD is requiring that all members wear masks while
on ATD in-person visits.
• Virtual (e.g. video) and no-contact (e.g. through
windows) will continue to be counted as ATD
Pat with Samson (poodle) and Tia (golden) visits. Masks are not required if you are not in close
2020 has been a very challenging year for all our teams. physical proximity or face to face during these visits.
The onslaught of the COVID-19 pandemic brought all • The requirement to visit at least once every three
of our visits to a halt. Many people who relied on us months continues to be waived.
to bring them smiles and joy went without. Our dogs These will remain in place until December 31, 2020. All
wondered what was happening because their routines new announcements will be posted on Facebook and
had changed, and they missed visiting in their normal Instagram, in email blasts, and posted in the member
places. And our dedicated members had to stop sharing portal.
their special dogs with those in need. We are very proud of how you have stepped up
But, ATD members are creative, resilient and deter- during these past months. Many of us are not in a
mined. We developed new ways to share our dogs with position to do any visiting yet and we hope you will
others that followed the local and CDC rules for social continue as members while you await the re-opening
distancing and wearing masks. Just some examples are: of your local facilities for therapy dog visits. We are
• Walking around a facility, visiting from the outside hearing from some members that they are being invited
through closed windows back in for visits in limited ways in some locations.
• Making signs that can be read from a distance while Above all, we want our members and their special
standing outside with our dogs dogs to be safe and healthy and wish you the best in the
• Using technology such as Zoom and Google Meet coming months.
for video visits and reading programs July 2020 marked the 30th Anniversary of Alliance
• Sending pictures, videos and signs into a facility to of Therapy Dogs. Our original plan was to host a
be posted conference to kick off our celebration, but the pandemic
• Having life-size cut-outs made of our dogs for got in the way. What has not changed is our pride in
facilities to set up the organization and 30 years of our wonderful teams
• Sitting in our front yards and having the neighbors sharing smiles and joy. Over the next several months,
do social distanced visits in this issue and on social media, watch for games to
• Holding car parades where we would drive by with play, trivia questions, special articles and awards. An
our dogs peering out the car windows anniversary is the time to look back at our successes
• Conducting trick demonstrations on the facility and look forward to new opportunities. We will come
front lawn through this pandemic and move forward sharing our
• Creating chalk art on facility driveways to let them special dogs with those in need, looking forward to the
know we miss them next 30 years.
Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 1
A SPECIAL THANK YOU
FOR OUR VOLUNTEERS
We are proud of the many Alliance of Therapy Dogs visits you have made
since becoming a member. Whether you go to hospitals, nursing homes or
other medical facilities, participate in education or reading programs, or
help de-stress passengers at airports or students during final exams, you
are providing a valuable service to the people in your area.
We believe that faithful volunteers like you deserve to be recognized
for all the beneficial work you do. In honor of your dedication to Alliance of
Therapy Dogs, we are pleased to acknowledge the contributions you make
to your community with these tokens of our admiration and gratitude.
Alliance of Therapy Dogs Visit Pins
Do you ever think about how many times you and your dog(s) visit facilities
on behalf of Alliance of Therapy Dogs? We invite you to keep track of your
facility visits. Alliance of Therapy Dogs offers a lapel pin which displays the
Alliance of Therapy Dogs logo. There are two rings on the bottom to attach
the gold bars that display the number of facility visits.
Achievement levels begin with 50 visits to any given facility and then
go on to 100, 250, 500, and 1000+. When you reach the next level, you may
order the appropriate bar to signify the new number.
Alliance of Therapy Dogs Visit Certificates
Alliance of Therapy Dogs offers certificates for your visits. Provide your
visit tracking information and Alliance of Therapy Dogs will send you
a certificate showing your name and your dog’s name along with the
appropriate number of visits. Achievement levels begin with a minimum of
50 visits. These certificates can also be copied and sent to the AKC to apply
for the Therapy Dog (ThD) Title.
Years of Service Patches
In recognition of the amount of time you have participated in pet therapy
with Alliance of Therapy Dogs, we are pleased to offer you a service patch
which displays the Alliance of Therapy Dogs logo and the number of years
you have been a member. The patch may be sewn onto a shirt, hat, fanny
pack, vest, or wherever you would like to display it. They come in two round
sizes: 3 inches or 2 inches.
The patches are offered following one year of service and in five
year increments thereafter. If you would like a service patch, fill in your
information below and send it to: Alliance of Therapy Dogs, P.O. Box 20227,
Cheyenne, WY 82003 or via email to office@therapydogs.com.
Yes, I would like to receive the Years of Service Patch!
The patch is available in 2 or 3 inch, I would like the: 2 inch 3 inch
I have been an Alliance of Therapy Dogs member for:
Years: 1 5 10 15 20 25 30
Name: ________________________________________________________
Address: _______________________________________________________
City, State, ZIP: _________________________________________________
Alliance of Therapy Dogs Member Number: __________________________
2 Alliance of Therapy Dogs
2020/2021 ALLIANCE OF THERAPY DOGS
Committees
Alternative Review (ARC): Review and approve membership outside of
the standard Alliance of Therapy Dogs registration process when there is no
available T/O in the area of the prospective member. Approve or deny all
issues that fall outside the Alliance of Therapy Dogs Rules.
Grievance and Ethics (G&E): Review and respond to grievances,
complaints, ethics issues, and general concerns.
Documents and Awards (D&A): Set scholarship criteria and choose
recipients; review and announce the recipient of the annual Outstanding
Member Award; develop/update policies as needed; and publish all
handbooks.
Nominating: Conduct election of officers and board members with the
assistance of the corporate office.
Public Relations (PR): Develop and increase public awareness of Alliance
of Therapy Dogs’ mission and activities. Manage grant-writing efforts.
Research and Investigation (R&I): Research and investigate matters
including, but not limited to: Alliance of Therapy Dogs’ name and logo
misuse, website misuse, and legal issues, including felony applicants.
Manage the relationship with Sterling Volunteers for background checks.
Member Review and Education (MRE): Develop ideas for re-evaluating
teams, create the annual member review, create the rules review, develop
educational materials for present/prospective membership.
Social Media: Interface with social networking platforms, be in control of
the social networking content, and make recommendations to the board
as needed.
Tester/ Observer (T/O): Review and approve prospective Tester/
Observer applications. Serve as the first line to resolve T/O issues,
including disciplinary actions. Develop T/O annual review and monitor the
T/O E-group.
News Magazine Staff: Choose and edit submissions and design the
semi-annual newsmagazine.
Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 3
Merchandise
The following items are available for purchase from Alliance of Therapy Dogs.
If you would like to place your order online go to: www.atdmerch.myshopify.com/
If you have not set up your Shopify account please email office@therpaydogs.com to request an invite.
Oval Sticker
A
About Alliance of Alliance of
Logo Patch Therapy Dogs
We are a volunteer organization of
C Therapy Dogs
B
dedicated therapy dog handlers and
their dogs on a mission of sharing smiles
and joy. ATD’s goal is to provide testing, Therapy Dogs for Facilities
Sharing Smiles & Joy
certification, registration, support, and Researchers and experts agree that pets
insurance for members who are involved in excel as therapeutic agents and that dogs
volunteer animal-assisted activities. These are an antidote to depression. Studies have
activities include, but aren’t limited to, visits shown a decrease in both blood pressure
Bumper Sticker
to hospitals, special needs centers, schools,
nursing homes, and airports. Our objective
and stress levels during therapy dog visits.
or Magnet
is to form a network of caring individuals A visit from one of our therapy dog teams
and their special dogs who share smiles and can break the daily routine, increase overall
joy with people, young and old alike. emotional well-being, and stimulate the mind
in dramatic ways. Our certified therapy dogs
offer so many wonderful benefits to people
of all ages.
If your facility would like to start a therapy
dog program, Alliance of Therapy Dogs is at
your service. Best of all, there is no cost to
your facility.
Leash/Collar Sleeve Contact Us
Alliance of Therapy Dogs
(307) 432-0272
(877) 843-7364
therapydogs.com
Lanyard
Brochure Holder
and Brochures
Note Card and Envelope
Collar
Bandana
4' Leash
Dog Vest
w/Logo Patch Clothing with the
Alliance of Therapy Dogs logo
can be ordered from:
Land’s End
www.therapydogs.com
through the member portal
4 Alliance of Therapy Dogs
Canvas Bag
w/Silkscreen
Logo
Merchandise Order Form
We now accept major credit cards
ITEM SIZE PRICE QUANTITY TOTAL
Nylon Banner 4' Leash 1/4” or 1” wide $10.00 X $
Bandana S M L $5.00 X $
Bookmarks (10/$1) A B C D $1.00 X $
A Canvas Bag
w/Screenprint Logo $15.00 X $
Collar T S M L $10.00 X $
Dog Vest T XS S
$24.00 X $
w/Embroidered Logo M L XL
B Lanyard $5.00 X $
Leash/Collar Sleeve One Size Fits Most $2.00 X $
Logo Patch $5.00 X $
Magnet $6.00 X $
C Note Card 5.5" x 4.25" 10¢ ea. X $
Nylon Banner 3' x 4' $50.00 X $
20¢ ea. or
Oval Stickers A B C X $
$15.00/100
Replacement Tag S M L XL $2.00 X $
D Brochures FREE $ 0.00
Bumper Sticker FREE $ 0.00
Cardboard Brochure Holder w/25 Brochures FREE $ 0.00
Cloisonné Logo Pin FREE $ 0.00
Visit Pin 50 / 100 / 250 / 500 / 1000 FREE $ 0.00
Bookmarks Years of Service Patch YRS: 1 5 10 FREE $ 0.00
(2 inches or 3 inches) 15 20 25
DONATION $
Cloisonné
Lapel Pin Shipping $ 3.00
TOTAL $
Name__________________________________ ATD Member #_________________
Address______________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
Credit Card #__________________________________________________________
Replacement
I.D. Tag
Expiration Date____________ Security Code (last 3 or 4 digits by signature)________
Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 5
WHAT’SWRONG
Below is a picture of a mock therapy visit. Can you find the eight things
wrong with this picture? See page 42 for the answers.
6 Alliance of Therapy DogsLooking for a Few Good Volunteers
Do you ever wonder how you can help others experience the satisfaction you feel when you
take your dog on a pet therapy visit? If you do, you have an opportunity to take the concept
of “Sharing Smiles and Joy” to new heights by becoming a Tester/Observer.
If you have practical experience working with dogs and are good at reading their body
language, please consider becoming a T/O. Here are some of the dog-related attributes we
look for in a T/O candidate:
• Experience in teaching or assisting in teaching dog training classes
• Training dogs for performance venues such as obedience, agility or herding
• Fostering and rehoming dogs
• Interaction on various levels with a wide variety of breeds–including both
large and small dogs
• Assisting T/Os and learning to determine under what circumstances teams
successfully complete the testing process
• Reading a variety of books by animal trainers and behaviorists
and/or attending seminars on training and behaviors
T/Os are role models for Alliance of Therapy Dogs and as
such must know and follow all rules and regulations and be
able to convey them to new and prospective members. Good
“people skills” are essential to communicating effectively
and tactfully with people.
There are additional abilities which may qualify you as well,
so please contact the office for your application packet. Join
us in our mission to provide registration and support for
prospective members in volunteer assisted activities.
We need
your help!
Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 7Requirements for Alliance of Therapy
Dogs Newsmagazine Submissions
We love your stories! Reading each and every one is a true pleasure, and we are happy to
share them with the rest of our Alliance of Therapy Dogs family. Here are the things you need
to know in order to get your stories printed.
1. Articles and Stories
a. 1,000 words or less
b. Submit to corporate office in an electronic format such as a Word document, Rich Text
File, or other editable electronic/digital form; NOT a .pdf or adobe file.
c. The story/article you submit MUST follow all Alliance of Therapy Dogs rules and
guidelines. For instance, any stories or articles where your dog is off leash (unless
preforming tricks) or you have taken your dog to work will not be published. To be
certain, please refer to your member handbook or look up the guidelines online.
d. All stories and articles must relate directly to your therapy work as members of
Alliance of Therapy Dogs. We do not accept stories from members of other therapy dog
registries.
2. Photos
a. Photos of non-members MUST be accompanied by a signed photo release or we cannot
publish them. (www.therapydogs.com/MemberDocuments.html or in your handbook)
b. You may submit more than one photo, but usually only one will be selected for printing.
c. We prefer that all photos submitted be high-resolution digital photos. Hard copy
photographs are also acceptable.
d. Please, no newspaper clippings or copies of such.
3. In The News!
a. Summarize any news articles in your own words in 125 words or less.
b. Must include your name, city and state of residence.
c. You may include one photo that was not taken by the media outlet.
d. Please do not send articles or links for us to summarize as the Newsmagazine
committee will no longer summarize third-party articles.
4. Retirees
a. All dog retirement announcements should be limited to a photo, date of birth, years of
service, and no more than 50 words describing the dog’s special qualities. Editors may
shorten descriptions that exceed the word count.
5. Rainbow Bridge
a. Photos must follow the above guidelines.
b. Include the following: owner’s/handler’s name, dog’s name, breed, date of birth, date
of death and years of service.
c. You may include to few lines (no more than 50 words) about the dog’s service or
special qualities, but we may need to edit it accordingly.
d. Due to limited space, human obituaries are not published.
Submission deadline dates are always February 15 and August 31
Please understand that not all articles that are submitted are published. News articles cannot
be reproduced due to copyright issues. The Newsmagazine committee reserves the right to
edit contributions for language and length and to make the final decision regarding which
articles will be included in each issue. Links to stories will no longer be published, and the
Newsmagazine staff will no longer summarize third-party stories. If we have any follow-up
questions about your submission, we’ll send them to you as soon as possible.
Send electronic submissions to office@therapydogs.com.
Hard copies mail to ATD, PO Box 20027, Cheyenne, WY 82003
8 Alliance of Therapy DogsALLIANCE OF THERAPY DOGS
SCHOLARSHIP
This scholarship is awarded annually. Applicants must meet the
following criteria:
• Must be an Alliance of Therapy Dogs member in
good standing, or the spouse, child or stepchild of a
member in good standing.
• If the applicant is a family member and not the
Alliance of Therapy Dogs member, s/he must have
been involved in some area of volunteer work in the
past two years. of Therap
ce y
• Must be applying to an accredited program in a field
n
Do
Allia
of health, medicine or science related to animals.
gs
The following documents must accompany your
application:
1. Letter of introduction telling us about yourself.
30
y
Ye
ar
2. Institution’s verification of acceptance.
ar r s
3. Copy of your most current transcript, if within the A n nive
past 10 years.
4. Two letters of recommendation from non-family
members. One letter should be from a facility visited
by you and your therapy dog or, if you are not an
Alliance of Therapy Dogs member, from a facility
where you volunteer or volunteered.
5. The completed Alliance of Therapy Dogs scholarship
questionnaire (available on the website or by request
from the office at office@therapydogs.com).
The deadline to apply is February 15. All documents listed above
must be received or postmarked by this date.
Scholarship winners will be notified
by April 15.
If you have questions, please contact the
Alliance of Therapy Dogs office.
P.O. Box 20227 | Cheyenne, WY 82003 | Fax: 1-307-638-2079
Email: office@therapydogs.com | www.therapydogs.com
Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 9Spotlight on . . .
Tosha Aldridge, director
Tell us about your dog and where you visit.
Lily is a 6-year-old American Pit Bull Terrier who adores attention! She
walks down the halls in her pink tutu, a big smile and wiggly back side. We
visit local assisted living facilities, a cancer center, a heart center, and work
with kids who need additional help with schoolwork.
How long have you
been an ATD member
and director?
We have been with ATD for
almost five years. I have been a
director for almost three years.
What prompted you to
volunteer with ATD?
We learned about therapy
dog work from a close
friend who had talked about
working with her dog since
she and her husband were
PTA’s. When we researched
therapy organizations, we
wanted an organization
that had a reputable history
and was open to all breeds.
Additionally, as we called a few groups to ask questions, ATD stood out as
I always had someone to speak with, and the office was happy to send out
whatever I needed.
What motivates you to
continue as a therapy handler?
Lily and the patients. Lily loves working (this pandemic has hit her
hard, too). She is missing her work. We see some patients out in the
community and we always get asked how she is doing (if she isn’t with
us) and when will we visit again. They love to see her as much as she
does them.
During the pandemic, have you done any form of visits?
Our visits have slowed down drastically. In North Carolina, no visitors
are allowed in nursing home facilities and the hospital. We have done
some Zoom chats with kids and we have had kids stop by our store to read
with Lily. Some of these have been LIVE streamed via Facebook. To think
outside the box, we are talking to local businesses about coming by to give
employees something different and get a little puppy love!
10 Alliance of Therapy DogsWhat challenges do you envision for the organization in the next few years as the country still copes with the pandemic? As we move forward, medical facilities may be tougher to visit and/or require more from us as handlers (i.e.: mask, screenings, etc.). We will continue to spread as much joy and smiles as we can . . . and where we can! In what way has therapy work changed your life? Therapy work has changed a lot of our schedule. It has made us (my husband and daughter are also certified handlers) realize how much we enjoy visiting and learning about new places to visit and make an impact on. Therapy dogs are well known in our area. As more places are seeing us and other teams visiting, they are starting to inquire. We didn’t realize how much of an impact dogs helped change the course of how patients’ and kids’ days were going and how important it has been for them to receive visits. They look forward to their day knowing we are coming to see them. Some schedule appointments on pet therapy days. For the kids, better behavior, attendance and grades have been noted by teachers. Is there one therapy moment that resonates with you? Yes! Last year, we lost a cancer patient whom we visited. She had finished treatment, so we were not seeing her like we had in the past. Every week, in her “cancer bag” she brought, she kept a bag of peanut butter treats for Lily. A few months after her last treatment, we ran into her daughter who worked on one of the hospital floors. When we asked how her mom was, she let us know she had passed away. She also wanted to thank us for spending time with her mom because she loved dogs. She said she didn’t realize how much her mom loved the visits with Lily until they were going through her things and found the treats in her cancer bag. What is your philosophy? This one is kind of funny and I even have a door hanger with the quote “but did you die?” You have to learn to get out of your comfort zone and experience new things and new people. Not every place or every person is the same. It’s exciting to explore and learn all the unique things people and places can teach you. Many times, fear holds people back from doing something new or outside of the normal routine. I am very outside of the “normal” and will use the phrase “but did you die” when someone tries something new. If you weren’t volunteering with ATD, what would you be doing? I honestly do not know. It’s hard to imagine what I did with my time before we joined! Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 11
Camo Camo came into my life in February of 2015. He was two
years old. A full-blooded English Lab, he was going to
be used as a stud dog until the breeder realized that he
routinely became lame after running around with his pals.
X-rays revealed he had Osteochondritis Dessecans (OCD)
in his right hock. Since she didn’t know if the condition was
genetic or due to an injury, the breeder decided to take no
chances. Camo needed a home.
I had recently sent yet another Lab over “The Bridge.”
I was grieving and depressed and I didn’t want another dog.
I simply didn’t want to go through that heartbreak again.
My vet, who is also a close friend, kept telling me about
Camo. Finally, out of courtesy, I made the trip a hundred
miles east of Carson City to meet the breeder and Camo.
I fully intended to come back and tell my vet that it just
wouldn’t be a good match; hopefully that would shut him
up. Instead, two hours after a “love at first sight” meeting
with Camo, he was in my back seat and we were headed to
our home in Minden, NV.
Camo and I bonded quickly, and I realized that this
gentle guy might enable me to pursue something I had long
desired with my other dogs: therapy dog certification. I had
time since I was recently retired and had what appeared to
be the perfect canine candidate.
Over the next several months we did advanced training,
culminating with Camo obtaining the AKC “Canine Good
Citizen” designation. We then met Rosalie Lansdowne,
ATD T/O in Carson City. She was a wonderful mentor and in February of
2016 we became an ATD pet therapy team. We began working with Rosalie
in Carson City, calling upon five senior facilities on a rotating basis every
Friday afternoon. Camo visited an average of 40 people a week.
I learned a lot during the first six months. I knew, of course, that
having a visit from a nice dog made people feel better, but four specific
things really stood-out:
1. Right from the start I could tell that Camo was truly in his element as
we visited. But when we got home, he would eat his dinner, tend to his
business and then sleep for 10 hours. I thought something was wrong
with him and I mentioned it to Rosalie and a couple of other experienced
handlers. They told me that this was to be expected, that the visits really
sap energy from the dog, and that in short order, he would be back to
normal. That proved to be the case. Within two months, Camo became
conditioned to his new mission in life and wanted to go for a walk
instead of going to sleep. I learned that a therapy dog gives more than
just time when working.
2. All of the facilities we frequented had memory units. I would routinely
hear patients telling me about their dogs that they weren’t allowed to
have with them and that it made them sad. I felt really touched by this
hardship. It took a while before I realized that their dog had likely been
deceased for years . . . probably decades. I learned that a visit from a
therapy dog can evoke long buried memories that become real and in the
present tense.
12 Alliance of Therapy Dogs3. It became clear that while most of the patients enjoyed the visits, the
care staff were the ones that really became excited. They absolutely
showered Camo with love. When our time was over, they were usually
smiling and there was an
obvious reduction in their
stress level. I learned that the
staff benefits from therapy dog
visits as much as, if not more
than, the patients.
4. The impact of what a therapy
dog can do really hit me one
day while in a Carson City
nursing home’s memory unit.
Upon entering the secured area,
I noticed a lady I had never
seen before. She was sitting
motionless at a table in the day
room, her lifeless eyes staring
out the window. Camo spotted
her immediately and led me
over to her. He sat down next to
her, his “pet me” eyes intense.
Ever so slowly, her head turned
until she was looking directly at him. In an extremely
slow-motion, she reached out her hand, placed it on
top of his head, and gave him one pet that must have
lasted 30 seconds from the top of his head to the base
of his neck. A nurse who was standing nearby gasped
and said, “Wow! We’ve never seen her do anything
but look at a wall or through a window!” I saw a
faint smile forming. Then she looked up at me and
asked, in a clear and strong voice, “How old is he?”
The nurse almost fell over. Several more slow-motion
pets caused us to stay longer than normal. Finally,
when we absolutely had to leave, I looked back and
saw her wilting back into her secret world. That day
I learned that a visit from a therapy dog can cause
an “awakening.”
In July of 2019, we relocated to Payson, Arizona,
to be closer to our kids and grandkids. Payson is a
small mountain community about 90 minutes from
the Phoenix metropolitan area, and I wondered if there
would be a place for us in the world of therapy. Within a
month of our arrival, Camo became part of the therapy
dog group at Banner Payson Medical Center, as well as
a mainstay at an after-school program for under-served
children (Payson Community Kids), and a weekly visitor
at Powell Place Senior Living. Camo now visits over 200
people every week.
I didn’t want another dog. Fortunately, I didn’t get my way and was
blessed by Camo. Working with him and being affiliated with ATD has
defined the most rewarding chapter of my life.
—Tom Martel, Payson, AZ
Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 13MAGICAL MIRACLE MOMENTS
Bringing Happiness and Joy in Central Florida
After reading many of the beautiful Magical Miracle Moments in the
Alliance of Therapy Dogs Newsmagazine over the past 12 months, I
never thought that I would be sharing a story. However, what follows
is a story about my dog, Murphy, bringing joy to a rehabilitation
center resident and her granddaughter.
Murphy is my 3-year-old Golden Retriever and my best friend,
who has been a therapy dog for just over one year. Most of our visits
have taken place at the local Advent Health Hospital which is about
two miles from my home in Sebring, Florida. One day, I received a call
from the Director of the Volunteers asking if Murphy and I would like
to go to the Advent Health Rehabilitation Center about 25 miles away
in Wauchula, Florida. I quickly agreed.
When the scheduled day arrived, I was excited, and so was
Murphy, who knew something fun was about to happen. With the
immaculately groomed Murphy in tow, I arrived at the facility and
was asked if Murphy would like to perform some tricks for patients
who were waiting for their physical therapy to begin. We are always
ready to perform tricks—our specialty, as Murphy holds the American
Kennel Club’s Advanced Trick Title. There were about 20 patients in
the room waiting for our arrival. We performed about 15 tricks and
received a very hearty applause along with lots of laughter.
After the tricks were finished, a nurse asked if we would visit
some of the patients in their rooms. Naturally, I agreed, and she led
the way down the hallway. We stepped into about 15 rooms. In one
room was a beautiful older lady sitting in a wheelchair beside her
granddaughter. When we entered the room, the granddaughter, whose
name was Kathleen said, “Oh MeMaw, look! A pretty dog is coming in
to see you.” The grandmother never looked up or acknowledged us in any
way. Murphy walked directly up to the elderly lady and stood beside her.
The lady continued to sit very still without saying a word and stared down
at the floor. Kathleen kept asking her grandmother to look at Murphy, but
the lady never did. Finally, Murphy started kissing the elderly lady’s hand.
Kathleen put her grandmother’s hand on Murphy’s head as Murphy sat
calmly beside her. Suddenly, the lady started to gently scratch Murphy’s
head. Murphy sat very still, which does not happen very often, and MeMaw
continued to caress her head for several minutes. It was an amazing
breakthrough! Kathleen had tears running down her face while the nurse
who was accompanying us was shocked to see the silent communication. It
was a very tender and rewarding moment for all of us and rather shocking
that Murphy stayed so still while she was being scratched on the head.
Murphy and I walked out of the room that day feeling immensely proud
at what we had accomplished by bringing happiness and joy to someone
without a word being said. The beauty of the moment when MeMaw
responded and scratched Murphy’s head demonstrated the unspoken
love and positive communication that runs between humans and dogs.
Murphy’s silent acceptance and encouragement were all MeMaw needed.
Aren’t we all blessed to have such wonderful, loving dogs to be part of our
team? Thank you, Murphy!
—Suzanne Sigmund, Sebring, FL
14 Alliance of Therapy DogsBRIGGS CONNECTION EXTENSION
The Find and the Follow-Up
Early in May, we received a request from a local police department to assist
in locating a 6-year-old autistic child. ATD-certified Briggs is also Detective
K9 Briggs working both missing person and criminal investigation for
federal, state and local agencies.
The child had been missing one hour. Immediate risk can be a factor
whenever any child is missing. This becomes critical with an autistic child,
who typically has an impaired sense of danger. Fortunately, we have an
excellent working relationship with
this department. They called us
quickly and the other K9, Detective
K9 Stratton, was scented from a
stuffed animal 31 minutes after
we received the call. Stratton was
able to locate the child on a third-
floor exterior steps landing hiding
in a cardboard box covered with a
blanket.
We came to the realization
that the game of “hide and seek”
from family, neighbors, police and
fire personnel was interpreted
by the child as “fun,” not danger.
This ended with hugging a
bloodhound. Junior, as the kid
was called, helped walk Stratton
to our K9 transport van. There
Junior met Briggs who specializes
in behavioral intervention at
area schools. She has an amazing
way of reaching kids through her
gentleness and willingness to listen
as children and youth connect
with her. One of our K9 cards was
shared. Mom was instructed to
use it to remind Junior of how
important it was to Briggs that he
Think Safe – Play Safe – Be Safe!
We stay in touch through Mom, and Junior often talks about how he
has to listen because his doggy best friends want him to. We reconnected
recently at a local park so Junior could visit with and “listen to” Briggs.
Briggs will sit or lie down, at times for hours, with a child or youth
or a group of the same. The closer the kids are to her the more she loves
it. “Hands on” seals the connection. K9 Briggs brings a sense of calmness
and quickly earns the trust of kids. Stress is reduced, smiles happen,
anxiety is lessened, and positive behavior is enhanced. We, along with the
community, are thankful for the support of ATD and the platform it affords
us to make a difference.
—Terri Heck, Lewisberry, PA
Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 15Isis-Ria Prior to the beginning of the pandemic, Isis-Ria and I were
going about our usual twice monthly visits to the Veterans’
Hospital and an assisted living facility within the Richmond,
Virginia, area.
In the assisted living facility, one of our favorite stops was with a
married couple of many years. He was in a wheelchair and she always sat in
her favorite chair knitting and crocheting. We had many things in common
and the visit was always a pleasant affair.
Upon entering the room, in late 2019, I found the gentleman confined
to his bed with various and sundry tubes and other medical equipment
providing extended care. I came into the room slowly and was about to
leave due upon seeing several people already in the suite.
His wife told me to stay for our monthly visit; so, I did.
He was very agitated that particular day; throwing his blankets
off, pulling at the sheets, and trying to remove his medical equipment.
Everyone was trying to calm him and keep him from injury.
I came up with the idea to see if Isis-Ria could help for a few minutes.
Asking permission from the wife and others, I approached the bed talking
to him with Isis-Ria under my arm. I laid her down on one side (on lead)
where there was less equipment and took his hand in mine, thusly placing
his hand on Isis-Ria.
Within a matter of minutes his agitation and restlessness stopped. Isis-
Ria remained quiet and gradually dosed off with his hand still on her head.
The emotions of others in the room went anywhere from surprise, awe,
smiles, and tears. The realm of the need for therapy dogs came through
again, and Isis-Ria had proven her worth.
I was to return after the first of the year, but sadly when I called to
advise the facility of the dates I was to visit, I learned my “friend” had
passed away. I was going to visit anyway, thinking his wife would need the
care of Isis-Ria. The facility told me they shut down all visits by “pups” and
handlers due to the virus except for family members. As the pandemic grew,
the facility later closed its doors to all except the attending staff.
The virus did appear at the end of April, so Isis-Ria and I wait as the
country does, until the “all-clear” has been sounded to resume our visits.
But the magic of the therapy dog(s) continues in our minds, as well as in
our hearts.
—Dr. Gale E. Vrtiak, Midlothian, VA
One Bewildered Therapy Dog
This is My Tai, my 12-lb Chiweenie, in her “I’m protecting myself against
that horrible new illness that is keeping me at home!” She and her
team partner, Nancy, are certainly missing our weekly visits to one
of our nearby hospitals, rehab-nursing facility, and participating
in a reading program at one of our local elementary schools. As
of today, June 15, 2020, we are unable to visit any of the above
facilities because of the Coronavirus, and school is now not in
session until at least August.
For the last three and a half months, every move I make
toward the front door, My Tai looks up from her bed with a look
on her face that seems to say, “Are we going now?” She is right there,
ready to go “to work.” She gives me a really sad look when I say, “Stay, not
16 Alliance of Therapy Dogsthis time.” She walks back to her bed, assumes her sleeping position but
still watches until the door closes.
With social distancing, a mask, and the resident’s permission, we
continue to visit our special 100-year-old resident of our community who
still lives alone and cares for herself. If I should visit without My Tai, her
first words are, “Where is My Tai?” Not, “How are you, Nancy?” It’s not
hard to tell who is in the “winner’s circle” among us. After greeting our
hostess, My Tai gets up on the couch beside me and looks lovingly across
our six-foot space and watches our beloved resident’s every move. Everyone
is as happy as we can be. But, in addition, how much longer will it be before
we are able to return to our weekly routine of therapy dog visits? It may
be different with masks, social distancing, etc., but at least we will be back
doing what we love to do best together.
Gracie
—Nancy Haas Dreyer, N. Fort Meyers, FL
There isn’t a group of people who smile and feel much joy from
January 1 to April 15, and they sure need it: accountants. Tax season
is long and grueling. Faces are grim, hours are long, and everyone
counts the days until it is over. When Gracie, my Cavalier, and I became an
Alliance of Therapy Dogs team in 2019, I thought of the accountants who
help me with payroll and taxes for my pet sitting business. Would they like
weekly dog therapy visits during tax season? The owner of the group that
provides my accounting services jumped at the opportunity.
Gracie, like so many therapy dogs, is a people-lover. Every Wednesday,
until the pandemic closed things, Gracie and I showed up at lunchtime
for a little fun and lots of cuddles and kisses. The second we walked in the
door the entire place buzzed: Gracie’s here! Starting from the receptionist
and through every office on two floors ending with the company president,
we made the rounds spreading a little fun and joy. At the time, she was
working on her Advanced Tricks title from AKC (which she has since
earned), so each week people wanted to see what she was working on. Her
“say your prayers” trick was a big favorite.
Gracie loves everyone in the office, but there was one accountant with
whom she had a special bond. The woman would get down on the floor
as soon as Gracie came in and the cuddle session ensued. Gracie got her
ears rubbed (a favorite for her) and lots of cuddles while we talked about
her work, her dog, or whatever else was on her mind. Gracie was always
disappointed to move on to the next office.
Gracie and I do lots of other visiting as well. She’s a huge fan of the
local Ronald McDonald House and especially loves the kids there. Once the
pandemic clears, we will go back to a local retirement community that we
visited weekly since we got certified. And though it isn’t textbook therapy
dog work, Gracie is helping me with a litter of kittens I’m fostering, so they
will be comfortable around dogs, which increases their adoption potential.
Gracie is incredibly good with the kittens and will be sorry to see them go
off to forever homes at some point.
There are many things we won’t be able to get back to right away with
the pandemic continuing, but I’m hopeful we will be able to return to the
accounting office as our area opens up, and tax season stretches into July.
A six-month tax season, amidst a pandemic, has to be miserable for our
accounting friends. Gracie and I hope we can start visiting soon and bring a
few smiles and a little joy into their days again.
—Debra Farrington, Hershey, PA
Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 17Greetings from Bend, OR, and
“Team Roo”!
Because of the pandemic, our recent certification and my health,
“Team Roo” has been unable to share smiles and joy with our
community. However, a wonderful opportunity presented itself
for a heart-warming first therapy visit. A neighbor approached
me and told me that their 2-year-old toddler, Sadie, had had a
couple of bad experiences with dogs. They asked if Roo and I
would be willing to work with Sadie to see if sweet Roo might
be able to help desensitize Sadie and hopefully get her over her
fear and apprehension. There will be a new baby in the home
soon and someday they also will want to get a family puppy. So,
they felt it was better to deal with this issue sooner than later.
“Team Roo” happily went to work! We met with Sadie in her
home environment and very slowly got Sadie comfortable with
Roo. Amazingly quickly, she left the security of her mama’s arms
and started moving around more comfortably with Roo. She
soon was petting Roo and then got confident enough to sit on
the ground with her. Sadie even learned to ask Roo for a “sit” and
would give her a treat which was amazing considering her prior
fear. We all were beyond thrilled with Sadie’s progress and look
forward to many more follow-up visits.
—Sandy Keesy, Bend, OR
Alliance Therapy Dog Extraordinaire!
Dooley is a busy Vizsla therapy dog and is
treasured wherever he visits. He is a Red
Cross Disaster Services therapy dog who
goes to shelters to provide comfort for
those who are displaced for any reason. The
children are especially thrilled to see him.
He works as a volunteer Red Cross
Service to the Armed Forces attending
events, helping to solicit volunteers and to
provide entertainment to other workers.
And he has brought smiles to the
military folks at Laurel Heights Hospital
center. In fact, on one of his birthdays
they put up a huge poster saying, “Happy
Birthday Dooley!” Shown here, he and I
were finishing a visit to a large group of
soldiers.
—Mary Kay Stewart, San Antonio, TX
18 Alliance of Therapy DogsTherapy Dog Volunteerism and COVID
I am elderly and have Bailey, a 6-year-old therapy dog. We used to work
hard at our job as a volunteer team. Bailey was born to volunteer and
be with friends, strangers, children and those who are ill. I was looking
for the perfect therapy dog as she would be my second one. I prayed to
God for her and remain certain He sent her to me. I picked her up and
brought her home as a 10-week-old. From day one, I began to socialize
her and train her. We did not waste a minute! Being retired, I had the
time and knowledge to know where we were going together.
Bailey was perfect in all ways. We visited every welcoming store,
bank, hardware store and whoever would have us. Because she would
grow large, her first lesson was never to jump on me or anyone else. Her
personality was outgoing and friendly. Her demeanor was calm. What a
joy to train. We actually trained with a class of disability dogs/handlers
for several years. It was a blessing and honor to be allowed to “work out”
with this group. I attribute most everything Bailey has accomplished to
that training.
Bailey has been a greeter at our Catholic church for the past 4 years.
She greets people coming in and says “goodbye” as they leave. She lays
totally quiet on floor in our assigned church pew during Mass.
Then came COVID in March of 2020. No more
church. It has ravaged our world and taken so many
lives from us. I feel sorry, sad and helpless. I am lost
not being able to hold the other end of the leash. We
are both hunkered down and expect to remain so until
a vaccine arrives.
What I cannot imagine is how Bailey must feel. I
look at her and feel her loss and pain. She has more
friends in our community than I have garnered in a
lifetime.
I don’t really have an answer of how l can help her
through this. I just love her so much and she knows
that.
The parishioners call her on phone and visit with
her. Bailey paws at the phone when they call.
Bailey recently went through a removal of a
cancerous mass on her eye. We feel it was successful,
but it can return. It was her friends who allowed us
to financially have the necessary surgery. I am forever
grateful.
Bailey has been frequently published. She is on local TV often. She
belonged to the gym where she ran on the treadmill to lose weight until
COVID. Bailey loved the gym and all her athletic friends there. Her vet
gifted her with a FitBark to wear to lose weight. She has been successful
even though she can no longer visit the gym. You can see her on YouTube
by Googling “Bailey the Therapy Dog.” The video snippet is her working out,
and it has aired in Hawaii.
My dream is to get back to volunteerism as soon as possible, and I am
sure that is what Bailey dreams about when I see her sleep and her legs are
just running fast as they can.
—Sharon L. Cramer, Rock Island, IL
Issue 2, Volume 15, 2020 19MAGICAL
MIRACLE A Dog’s Story
MOMENTS It was March 7, 2005, when we lost our beloved 5-year-old Golden
Retriever, Max, to hemangiosarcoma. We adopted him the day after
Thanksgiving and enjoyed his presence in our home for only a few months.
It was during those months that several people mentioned that he would be
a great therapy dog, a concept I knew little about at that time.
After his passing, I set out to find a new puppy, one that
could possibly be trained as a therapy dog. After many hours and
numerous phone calls, I located a litter of 7-week-old Golden
Retriever puppies in Atlanta, Georgia. Being a biology professor,
I studied the genetic and behavioral qualities of the parents
and decided they were what I was looking for. I randomly
chose a male puppy and told the breeder to send him to Fort
Wayne, Indiana. I can still remember arriving at a somewhat
dark, empty airport at midnight waiting for the plane to arrive.
Finally, an attendant walked out of the baggage area carrying a
little fur ball in her arms, saying, “Hey, we got a puppy.”
We decided to call him “Gus” which means majestic or
revered. He did extremely well his first week in our home and
I quickly enrolled him in a Puppy 1 class with a group called
Canine Companions. After graduating from Puppy 1, I enrolled
him in Puppy 2 and watched him grow and develop as the weeks
went on. With encouragement from the instructors, I was
eager to look into the therapy dog program and discovered
that Canine Companions had certified trainers. After making
an initial contact, I was invited to attend a therapy dog meeting at a local
hospice center where I could meet some of the handlers and their dogs and
learn a little about what they do. After that first meeting, I knew I wanted
to get involved.
A few days later, I enrolled Gus and eagerly waited for our training to
begin. Once it started, the hours we spent were grueling. However, the
friends we acquired during those weeks, both human and canine, made all
the hard work worthwhile. Little did I know that some of us would spend
several wonderful years working together. Gus graduated on his first
birthday and was enrolled in Therapy Dogs Inc.
After his graduation, our volunteer time became both exciting and
gratifying as our visitation list and new people began to grow. Each time
I put on his harness and vest I could almost see a smile on his face as we
headed out the door. Gus truly loved what he did.
On one occasion, on a bright Saturday morning, we headed to the
Huntington Public Library in Huntington, Indiana, to take part in a “Paws
to Read Program.” We had been doing this for several weeks but didn’t
know this would become one of the most meaningful days of our lives.
As we walked into the library, I was approached by one of the staff and
informed that we were chosen to be paired with a 10-year-old boy who
had been badly bitten by a dog earlier in his life. No one was sure how this
would unfold, but we were told that the boy wanted to do this.
We got settled in our cubicle with our blanket, bean bag, and
everything in order when the kids came in. A little boy approached us and
introduced himself as Lucas but totally ignored Gus who sat next to me.
I can still picture him in his red coat which he never removed. Lucas sat on
the bean bag, pulled out a book and surprisingly asked me if I knew who
the author Gary Paulsen was. I said I did and had even met him once at
20 Alliance of Therapy DogsYou can also read
