The dogs of war, the dogs that help keep the peace, the dogs that track down the bad guys and turn up the missing, Man’s best friend and co-worker. What happens to them after a lifetime of service? Many retire with their handlers but not all. When the time comes, who rescues the rescuers?
Former Yakima Police officer Jason Johnson, inspired by his dog flash, started Project K-9 Hero, a foundation that supports retired service dogs.
Johnson says he is now working with Congress to arrange sustainable funding through passage of the K-9 Hero Act.
Dogs find foster homes
The stay at home directive by Governor Larry Hogan has been an unusual gift to the Queen Anne’s County Animal Services shelter in Queenstown. Animal Services has been asking people to consider fostering a pet while they are staying home to comply with the efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and the fostering promotion has paid off big for the pets.
As of Wednesday, April 22, the shelter has fostered out 21 dogs over the past five weeks with only four dogs remaining at the shelter. Two of those are beagles that recently came into the shelter.
The third is a 6-month-old Lab mix puppy that was found as stray. Attempts have been made to find its owner, but if no one is found, the pup will be available of fostering or adoption.
The fourth dog is an older Shar-Pei mix female named Gemma. Gemma is described as “50 pounds, a big ball of wrinkles. Loves stuffed doll animals. She’s a ‘couch potato’ and adores her couch bed surrounded by her stuffed toy animals. She likes to be ‘the queen of attention.’” The only negative about Gemma, she suffers from separation anxiety, so she needs to be with someone all the times and doesn’t like other dogs. She will need to go to a home where she is the only animal.
“The foster push has definitely helped,” said Animal Services Director Ramon Villatoro. “In the time I’ve been working here, we’ve never had this low in numbers of dogs in the shelter. I want to thank everyone who has stepped forward to help with having a pet at home with them during the time period.”
Adoption and Communications Director Brittany Fox added, “Those who have fostered these dogs are improving the lives of our pets.”
As the number of dogs in the shelter has dropped, kitten season has started, and there are currently 45 cats at the shelter, the majority of those deemed “barn cats,” Fox said. “A barn cat is not a couch cat inside your home. It needs — wants — a job. A barn cat lives inside the barn, brewery, place of business, and works for its food, catching mice and other rodents. All of our cats are neutered/spayed and fully vaccinated.”
Many options for foster care are available with no obligation to adopt. There are also short-term overnight and weekend fostering arrangements. Free pet food, bedding and veterinary services for fostered pets as needed.
Working dog trains
The 30th Security Forces Squadron Military Working Dog Flight conducted a roadway detection training April 15 at Vandenberg Air Force Base.
During the training, the squadron’s military working dog and handler teams faced a test of endurance and readiness as they rucked approximately 2 miles from the kennels toward Wall Beach and back.
“The ruck helps handlers understand the dog’s fatigue level,” said Staff Sgt. Stephen Sanchez, who also works as a trainer. “Handlers can be dispatched at any moment to a threat and need to know how long their dog can effectively work before needing to take a break.”
Before the ruck, each handler geared up with equipment vests, helmets, water, for both them and their dog, an arrangement of leashes, a thermometer to check their dog’s temperature, a muzzle and toys. With the dogs prepared and equipment in hand, the teams began their journey.
Once teams reached the halfway point, they were faced with a simulated roadway training exercise, where six training explosive ordinance devices were buried for the teams to find. Each team was evaluated on its ability to efficiently detect the roadside explosives.
“You never know what you’ll be tasked to do,” said Senior Airman Ricky Wilson, who also works as a handler. “The rucks keep us prepared for a deployment, as well as being able to work as a team under difficult circumstances where the stakes are raised.”
In order to maintain their mission-readiness, each training is designed to simulate situations that might occur at home station, while deployed, or when supporting Secret Service missions, according to Sanchez. During these situations, the team’s ability to come together is vital for the success of the mission and to save lives.
“A dog doesn’t understand that what he’s practicing for could save his handler’s life, or possibly others’ lives,” Sanchez said. “He knows that if he finds an odor, he gets rewarded, but big picture is he’s saving lives.”
Service dogs are needed
During the stay-at-home orders, more and more retired veterans that are suffering mental and physical disabilities are looking for service dogs. For retired veterans dealing with PTSD and or physical injuries, COVID-19 is bringing up memories they didn’t know they had. Memories they tucked away in a dark place.
That’s why the local nonprofit, Veterans Moving Forward, which trains service dogs for veterans, is refusing to shut down during this crisis.
Lori Sittner, Director of Operations says, “Some of our veterans who haven’t been able to leave their house or they were on 13, 14 medications. They were afraid to leave their house, their lives were stopped.”
During the coronavirus pandemic, emotional support dogs for veterans dealing with mental and physical challenges are still being trained.
Head trainer Katie Poulson says, “Breeders are telling me that they are getting more calls now than they’ve ever seen before. 15 a day is nothing and we are getting more applications because it has increased a lot of veterans’ PTSD. Having to go through the scare and the isolation, you’re seeing N95 masks everywhere and also I’ve seen respirators out there.”
The K9s are being raised and trained by the organization based out of Sterling, Virginia. The training starts at around 8 weeks old and will last about 2 years.
The dogs can do everything from fetch medication, turn on bathroom lights and open and shut doors to moving quickly on a seizure response.
Life-changing assistance by four-legged friends is vital especially during social distancing and home isolation.
Sittner says, “Verbiage that we are hearing is that this is a war that we are fighting. It’s bringing up bad memories.”
Purina stepped up and donated several pallets of dog food but the reality is this nonprofit is solely based on donations and volunteers. Over 15 fundraiser events have been canceled and volunteers aren’t coming in. The staff says they are doing their best they can on limited resources.
Pet Policies vs. Companion Animals
HUD has issued new rules clarifying the responsibilities landlords shoulder regarding companion animals in rental properties.
The newly released a “Notice on Service Animals and Assistance Animals for People with Disabilities in Housing and HUD-Funded Programs discusses how the Fair Housing Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) intersect regarding the use of service or assistance animals by persons with disabilities.
The Fair Housing Act prohibits landlords from discriminating based on disability, race, color, national origin, religion, sex, and familial status. The ADA prohibits discrimination against people with disabilities in employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and state and local government activities.
Both laws contain provisions which address the use of service or assistance animals by people with disabilities. While the Fair Housing Act covers nearly all types of housing, some types of housing, such as public housing, are covered by both laws.
HUD Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity, says a “Disability-related complaints, including those that involve assistance animals, are the most common discrimination complaint we receive.”
HUD„¢s new notice explains housing providers obligations under the Fair Housing Act, including the requirement to provide reasonable accommodations to people with disabilities who require assistance animals. Pet restrictions cannot be used to deny or limit housing to people with disabilities who require the use of an assistance animal because of their disability. Housing providers must grant reasonable accommodations in such instances, in accordance with the law.
According to the notice, two threshold questions must be addressed when a tenant asks for a companion animal:
1. Does the person seeking to use and live with the animal have a disability ” i.e., a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities?
2. Does the person making the request have a disability-related need for an assistance animal? In other words, does the animal work, provide assistance, perform tasks or services for the benefit of a person with a disability, or provide emotional support that alleviates one or more of the identified symptoms or effects of a person’s existing disability?
If the answer to question (1) or (2) is “no,” then the law does not require a modification of an existing “no pets” policy, and the reasonable accommodation request may be denied.
However, if the answer to these questions is “yes”, the landlord must modify or provide an exception to a “no pets” policy to permit a person with a disability to live with and use an assistance animal(s) in all areas of the premises where persons are normally allowed to go, unless doing so would impose an undue financial and administrative burden or would fundamentally alter the nature of the housing provider’s services.
A request for companion animal also may be denied if: (1) the specific assistance animal in question poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation, or (2) the specific assistance animal in question would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others that cannot be reduced or eliminated by another reasonable accommodation. Breed, size, and weight limitations may not be applied to an assistance animal.
A determination that an assistance animal poses a direct threat of harm to others or would cause substantial physical damage to the property of others must be based on an individualized assessment that relies on objective evidence about the specific animal’s actual conduct ” not on mere speculation or fear about the types of harm or damage an animal may cause and not on evidence about harm or damage that other animals have caused. Conditions and restrictions that housing providers apply to pets may not be applied to assistance animals. For example, while housing providers may require applicants or residents to pay a pet deposit, those rules cannot be applied to companion animals.
Landlord cannot deny a reasonable accommodation request because they’re not certain whether the person seeking the accommodation has a disability or a disability-related need for an assistance animal. Housing providers may ask individuals who have disabilities that are not readily apparent or known to the provider to submit reliable documentation of a disability and their disability-related need for an assistance animal.
If the disability is readily apparent or known but the disability-related need for the assistance animal is not, the housing provider may ask the individual to provide documentation of the disability-related need for an assistance animal. For example, the housing provider may ask persons who are seeking a reasonable accommodation for an assistance animal to provides emotional support to provide documentation from a physician, psychiatrist, social worker, or other mental health professional that the animal provides emotional support that alleviates one or more of the identified symptoms or effects of an existing disability. Such documentation is sufficient if it establishes that an individual has a disability and that the animal in question will provide some type of disability-related assistance or emotional support.
However, a landlord may not ask a tenant or applicant to provide documentation showing the disability or disability-related need for an assistance animal if the disability or disability-related need is readily apparent or already known to the provider.
A housing provider also may not ask an applicant or tenant to provide access to medical records or medical providers or provide detailed or extensive information or documentation of a person’s physical or mental impairments.
While HUD makes it clear that private landlords have a legal duty under the Fair Housing Act to accept any qualifying companion animal into a rental property, the Department of Justice has narrowed its definition of service animals allowed into government and educational facilities under the ADA, to “any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability. Emotional support animals are expressly precluded.
For more information, current forms or help regarding your Service Dog or ESA, please visit: www.tsdag.com
HUD Issues New Guidance On Reasonable Accommodations For Assistance Animals
Brenda Richardson Senior Contributor
Real Estate
I cover residential real estate, including buying, selling and trends.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development released guidance today that clarifies how housing providers can comply with the Fair Housing Act when assessing a request from a person with a disability to have an assistance animal.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing against individuals who have disabilities that affect a major life activity. Under the law, a disability is defined as a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activities. The act requires housing providers to permit a change or exception to a rule, policy, practice or service that might be necessary to provide people with disabilities equal opportunity to use and enjoy their homes. In most circumstances, a refusal to make such a change or exception, known as a reasonable accommodation, is unlawful.
A common reasonable accommodation is an exception to a no-pet policy. A person with a disability that affects a major life activity may require the assistance of an animal that does work, performs tasks or provides therapeutic emotional support because of the disability. Housing providers may confirm, if it is not apparent, whether the requested accommodation is needed because of a disability that affects a major life activity and is a reasonable request.
A 2019 survey by the American Pet Products Association found that 67 percent of U.S. households own at least one pet, an estimated 84.9 million homes. The assistance animal notice is designed to help housing providers by offering a step-by-step set of best practices for complying with the Fair Housing Act when assessing accommodation requests involving animals and information that a person may need to provide about his or her disability-related need for the requested accommodation, including supporting information from a health care professional.
The new guidance provides information on the types of animals that typically may be appropriate and best practices for when the requested animal is one that is not traditionally kept in the home. It also provides information for housing providers and people with disabilities regarding the reliability of documentation of a disability or disability-related need for an animal that is obtained from third parties, including internet-based services offering animal certifications or registrations for purchase. A host of dubious and predatory service and emotional support animal registries have developed over the years for assistance animal certifications. Landlords and property managers are entitled to reliable verification of a tenant’s need for an assistance animal and can require documents other than an online certification.
“Countless Americans rely on assistance animals to fill a void, providing individuals with disabilities with the means to have a home that supports their quality of life,” stated HUD Secretary Ben Carson. “In my many discussions with housing providers and residents impacted by the need for assistance, I recognized the necessity for further clarity regarding support animals to provide peace of mind to individuals with disabilities while also taking into account the concerns of housing providers. Today’s announcement responds to the ambiguity surrounding proper documentation for assistance animals with clarity and compassion to provide an equal opportunity for a person living with a disability to use and enjoy their home.”
The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and the National Apartment Association (NAA) released the following statement on HUD’s new animal assistance guidance:
“The apartment industry strongly supports the rights of persons with disabilities to make reasonable accommodation requests so they may have equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling. However, a lack of clarity in the law currently governing emotional support animals allows for abuse and imposes an unfair burden on property owners. This undermines the intent of the Fair Housing Act to help those truly in need of an emotional support animal. NMHC and NAA believe the new guidance is a step in the right direction toward providing a clearer understanding of emotional support animal rules.
“Prior to the issuance of this new guidance, it was often difficult for owners and operators to determine legitimate requests from illegitimate ones. HUD’s guidance will help rental housing providers mitigate abuse, ensure better compliance with fair housing laws, and, vitally, improve the ability of owners and operators to protect the rights of disabled persons to live with their service animals and emotional support animals.”
Anna Maria Farías, HUD’s assistant secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity pointed out that HUD has recognized for decades the rights of individuals with disabilities to keep an assistance animal in the home where it is a reasonable accommodation.
“Housing is unique, and a person with a disability that affects a major life activity might need an animal that provides support in ways that is not readily apparent to housing providers,” said Farías. “For example, veterans or senior citizens may need the assistance or therapeutic support of an animal to help them cope with the symptoms of a disability that affects a major life activity. This guidance will help housing providers to recognize the important way assistance animals can improve the lives of persons with disabilities and to meet their obligation to grant such accommodations.”
HUD General Counsel Paul Compton added, “With the Assistance Animals Notice, both housing providers and individuals with disabilities will better understand their rights and obligations under the Fair Housing Act regarding assistance animals, particularly emotional support animals. For housing providers, this is a tool that can be used to help them lawfully navigate various sets of sometimes complex circumstances to ensure that reasonable accommodations are provided where required so that persons with a disability-related need for an assistance animal have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy their housing. The guidance will help ensure that these important legal rights are asserted only in appropriate circumstances.”
Persons who believe they have experienced housing discrimination can file a complaint of discrimination by contacting HUD’s Office of Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity at 800- 669-9777 or file a complaint online.
For more information and help filing a complaint or getting the correct forms needed, please visit: www.tsdag.com
U.S. Department of Transportation Issues Final Statement of Enforcement Priorities Regarding Service Animals on Flights
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today issued a Final Statement of Enforcement Priorities Regarding Service Animals that provides greater clarity to passengers, airlines, and other stakeholders about the DOT’s interpretation and enforcement of the existing service animal rules.
In this Final Statement, the Department’s Enforcement Office announced that it does not intend to take action against an airline for asking users of any type of service animal to provide documentation related to vaccination, training, or behavior so long as it is reasonable to believe that the documentation would assist the airline in making a determination as to whether an animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. The Enforcement Office will monitor airlines’ animal documentation requirements to ensure that they are reasonable.
The Final Statement also addresses a number of other issues, such as species limitations, containment, advance notice, and check-in requirements for Emotional Support and Psychiatric Service Animals.
The Department remains committed to ensuring that our air transportation system is safe and accessible for everyone. As such, the Enforcement Office will focus its enforcement efforts on clear violations of the current rule and will continue to investigate all complaints alleging violations of the Air Carrier Access Act.
Separately, DOT plans to issue a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Service Animals later this year.
The final statement can be found at regulations.gov, docket number DOT-OST-2018-0067. It is effective upon publication in the Federal Register. Airlines are expected to review their policies and revise them, if necessary, to comply with the Department’s disability regulation.
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Final Statement of Enforcement Priorities Regarding Service Animals – Summary
Species Limitations: The Department’s disability regulation has a broad definition of service animals. Priority will be placed on ensuring that the most commonly recognized service animals (dogs, cats and miniature horses) are accepted for transport. Nevertheless, airlines are still subject to enforcement action if they categorically refuse to transport other species that they are required to transport under the current rule.
Breed/Species Restrictions: The Department’s Enforcement Office views a limitation based exclusively on breed of the service animal to not be allowed under its service animal regulation. The Enforcement Office intends to use available resources to ensure that dogs as a species are accepted for transport. Airlines are permitted to find that any specific animal, regardless of breed, poses a direct threat.
Documentation Requirements: The Department’s disability regulation permits airlines to determine, in advance of flight, whether any service animal poses a direct threat, but the rule does not clearly indicate how airlines must make that assessment. The Department’s Enforcement Office does not intend to take action against an airline for asking users of any type of service animal to present documentation related to the service animal’s vaccination, training or behavior so long as it is reasonable to believe that the documentation would assist the airline in making a determination as to whether an animal poses a direct threat to the health or safety of others. The Enforcement Office will monitor the airlines’ animal documentation requirements to ensure that they are not being used to unduly restrict passengers with disabilities from traveling with their service animals.
Containment: The Department’s disability regulation contains no explicit requirements or prohibitions with respect to containment of service animals in the cabin. The Department’s Enforcement Office will consider containment issues for all service animals on a case-by-case basis, with a focus on reasonableness. In general, tethering and similar means of controlling an animal that are permitted in the Americans with Disabilities Act context would be reasonable in the context of controlling service animals in the aircraft cabin.
Advance Notice: The Department’s disability regulation prohibits airlines from requiring advance notice for passengers traveling with service animals, other than emotional support animals (ESAs) and psychiatric support animals (PSAs). Enforcement resources will be focused on ensuring that airlines do not require advance notice for passengers with traditional service animals as advance notice may significantly harm passengers with disabilities as it prevents them from making last minute travel plans that may be necessary for work or family emergencies.
Check-In Requirements: The Department’s Enforcement Office does not view it to be violation of the Department’s disability regulation if airlines require lobby check-in for ESAs and PSAs because the regulation permits airlines to require ESA and PSA users to check in one hour before the check-in time for the general public.
Proof that an Animal is a Service Animal: The Department’s Enforcement Office has long interpreted existing law as permitting airlines to seek credible verbal assurance that a passenger is an individual with a disability and the animal is a service animal. If a passenger’s disability is not clear, airlines may ask questions to determine the passenger’s need for the animal even if the animal has other indicia of a service animal such as a harness, vest or tag.
Number of Service Animals Per Passenger: The Department’s disability regulation is not clear as to how many service animals may travel with a passenger with a disability. Enforcement efforts will generally focus on ensuring that airlines are not restricting passengers from traveling with one ESA and a total of three service animals if needed. Generally, one ESA should be sufficient for emotional support, but a passenger may reasonably need more than one task-trained service animal.
Number of Service Animals per Aircraft: The Department’s disability regulation does not allow airlines to deny transport to a service animal accompanying a passenger with a disability because of a limit on the total number of service animals that can be on any flight. The Department’s Enforcement Office would thus view denial of transport to an ESA because of other ESAs in the cabin of aircraft to violate its regulation as ESAs are considered service animals under the existing rule.
Weight Restrictions: Under the Department’s disability regulation, airlines may deny transport to a service animal that is too large or too heavy to be accommodated in the cabin. The Department’s Enforcement Office views a categorical ban on animals over a certain weight limit, regardless of the type of aircraft for the flight, to be inconsistent with the regulation.
Age Restrictions: The Department’s disability regulation does not address the minimum age of a service animal. However, all service animals (including ESAs) are expected to be trained to behave in public. As a general matter, the Department’s Enforcement Office would not view it to be a violation for an airline to prohibit the transport of service animals younger than four months as some airlines have done.
Flight-Length Restrictions: The Department’s disability regulation provides that airlines may require passengers using a service animal on flights scheduled to take eight hours or more to provide documentation that the animal will not need to relieve itself on the flight or that it can do so in a way that does not create a health or sanitation issue on the flight. The Department’s Enforcement Office intends to use its available resources to ensure that airlines comply with the existing regulations with respect to this issue and do not automatically prohibit service animals (including ESAs) on flights lasting eight or more hours.
Mental Health Professional Form: Under the Department’s disability regulation, airlines are not required to transport ESAs or PSAs unless the passenger provides medical documentation of their need for the animal as specified in the rule. The Department’s Enforcement Office would view it to be a violation for an airline to reject a medical form or letter that meets the criteria found in the rule because of an airline’s preference that the passenger use the airline’s form.
For information on updated Travel Forms for your ESA or Service Dog visit: www.tsdag.com
When I’m Stressed or Anxious, My Guinea Pig, Helps Me Calm Down
I’m a happily married mom of two boys. On any given day, I am called to be a chauffeur, cook, referee, accountant, or nurse for my family. And for the most part, I juggle it all well. But sometimes my anxiety and depression get the better of me, and for that I turn to Dewey. Who’s he? Dewey is my cream-colored, brown-spotted, pink-nosed guinea pig. Yes, I consider my guinea pig an emotional support rodent.
I grew up in a pet-loving family. Throughout the years, there was always a dog I could cuddle, a parakeet I could chirp to, or a goldfish I could tap at. It should also be known that I was a very anxious child, and that I quickly found solace in these pets. One of my earliest pet-related memories is sitting in the backyard with my dog, Baxter, whispering into her ear all the worries I had about school and friends. I was about 11. Even then, I realized how much this furry companion meant to me.
She didn’t judge. She didn’t talk back. She just listened and gave me unconditional love all in exchange for a few pets. She died when I was in high school, and it hit me hard. So hard that I tried to never get as attached to another pet like that ever again. But sometimes those furry little faces get you, and just when you need them the most, they show up.
We didn’t intend to get a guinea pig. In fact, a guinea pig was never a pet I had ever considered. But my son’s school needed someone to watch their class pet during holiday break — a gigantic guinea pig by the name of Pepito. Our whole family got used to him over the break — and it was quite lonely when we had to return him back to the classroom — so we decided to get one of our own. Off we went to the local pet shop. One look at Dewey and we knew he was destined to be a member of our family.
Eventually the excitement of the new pet started to wear off on the other members of the family, but it didn’t dwindle for me. There wasn’t a day that passed where I didn’t take him out of his cage and pet him. He would be on my lap when I read a book, watched television, or talked on the phone. The funny thing is, I think he can tell when I need him the most. He crawls up to my shoulder, and nuzzles in for a snooze. I can feel his soft snores and the warmth of his furry little body. When I’m spending time with Dewey, it’s like my stress melts away.
It’s true when they say that animals can reduce a person’s stress. According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, nearly 80 million American households have some form of pet. And in their recent survey of pet owners, 74 percent of pet owners reported mental-health improvements from pet ownership. I can definitely vouch for that number.
When people think about getting emotional support from an animal, cats or dogs usually come to mind. But, not for me. I’m happy with my guinea pig. Sure, I might get strange looks when I tell people about him, but who cares. Dewey is the best support I could ask for.
Softening the Virus’s Bite with Cuteness Overload
Millions of pet owners breathed a collective sigh of relief in early March when Hong Kong researchers announced that dogs and cats can’t transmit the coronavirus to humans. For animal lovers quarantined at home and social-distancing from humans, their furry family members provide emotional solace as well as entertainment and comic relief.
Few things are as comforting as a picture of a cute dog — except, of course, lots of pictures of cute dogs. Research has shown that gazing into your dog’s eyes elevates levels of the bonding hormone oxytocin for both of you, just as gazing into your child’s eyes does. Now, with the coronavirus pandemic raging, people are turning to online pet groups to reproduce that cuddly feeling, over and over.
Focusing on our pets allows us to return to a simpler time, when the activities of daily living didn’t pose enormous risk, and keeps our minds off our own plight, says Randy Faerber, a psychoanalyst in New York City and alumna of Bard College. “Animals don’t know what’s going on,” Faerber says. “They’re just being animals. If you’re with that animal, you can identify with that animal. It’s another way to feel that everything’s okay.”
That need for normalcy is on display on the four-year-old site Hudson Valley Pets in Pictures, whose 5,500-odd members (up 200 in the past month alone) have been cranking out as many as 130 posts on some days during the pandemic.
The group’s preoccupation during this time has been the convalescence from herniated disc surgery of a particularly impish-looking wire-haired terrier mix named Tyson. Every post from Tyson’s “dad,” Chris Hawks, a Millbrook farmer, generates hundreds of likes and comments: compliments on Tyson’s progress, encouragement, and heart emojis.
A recent picture of Tyson sitting on a mound of hay surrounded by cows with the heading “helping dad feed the girls” racked up more than 300 likes and 55 comments, including, “He looks like he’s back to his old critter chasing self” from Verne Carter of Lake Peekskill.
Even the most mundane Tyson posts—“Peed…now back to the house for a treat or two” with a video of Tyson slowly and unsteadily navigating a brick walkway after his surgery—are cause for celebration (173 likes, many of them from women who seem as enamored of the farmer as they are of the dog).
“I think it’s lifting spirits a little bit from what’s going on,” Hawks says. “There seem to be a lot more people joining in the last couple of weeks. I get a lot of people making remarks that the best way to start the day off is with a smile from Tyson.”
The much larger Cool Dog Group, founded in New Zealand in 2012, now has about 784,000 members—so many, that it has capped membership in an effort to improve quality control.
“The general purpose of the group is to recreate that feeling you got as a kid when a dog turned up at school,” says a Cool Dog Group administrator who wanted to remain anonymous. “Excitement, joy—everyone remembers a day like that. It’s the talk of the school for days.”
Although Cool Dog has members all over the world, most are in New Zealand and Australia, which is facing the double whammy of raging bush fires followed by the coronavirus. “Our group is a place to escape things that might seem scary or stressful that appear elsewhere on social media,” the administrator says.
The site specifically asks members not to post about the coronavirus and sternly warns, “DO NOT WASTE PPE BY PUTTING IT ON YOUR DOG FOR THE SAKE OF LIKES ON THE INTERNET. This is an INCREDIBLY SELFISH thing to do and we will not hesitate to ban you from the group permanently if you attempt to post pictures or videos of your dog in PPE here.”
But there are no limits on adorable puppy videos, like the one of nine-week-old Labrador-golden retriever mix Winnie quizzically pawing a blueberry, which elicited about 100 gleeful comments. “What dis?? Toy? Food? Enemy?” a member posted. Other members rhapsodized about the puppy’s “little nose scrunch” and even her paws. Her owner responded, “I knowwwww. Her paws are my favorite thing in the world.”
A Cool Dog post by Sean McVey of Basking Ridge, New Jersey, with the heading “he’s a cancer survivor” and a picture of a dog missing his left front leg garnered nearly 4,300 likes along with comments proclaiming the dog a “miracle” and a “champion.”
“They’re really projecting onto the animal all their wishes for themselves,” Faerber says. “We want a miracle. We want a champion. We want to be saved. If we can fix this dog, if we can fix this situation, we can be fixed.”
The unconditional love dogs offer, which is even more important during times of stress and isolation, is another compelling factor. A 14-month-old group, I Love Dogs Forever, added 1,271 new members in the first week of April to its total of about 117,000. The six-month-old I Love Dogs group recently added 70 new members in just 24 hours, bringing its total to nearly 5,300. “My dog is the only person who consistently loves me all the time,” posted new I Love Dogs member John Giovanni of Brooklyn, along with a pic of his Havanese, Jasper.
Hudson Valley Pets member Chris Gerhardt of Beacon has been posting several updates a day on her schipperke, Lulu, whose tendency to rouse her mom early for her morning walk and seek out the sunniest spot on the couch amuse her many followers. “This site brings me so much joy,” Gerhardt says. “It’s a connection to the world because I feel like we’re all cut off, and it’s a little bit of normalcy. I know these people are still there and waiting to see Lulu.”
The site is also a great place to see pictures of a bearded dragon named Rocky perched on the steering wheel of his mom’s car; an unusually photogenic ferret, Dave, pausing for a furry close-up; and Paco the parrot stealing pizza from his family’s dining-room table.
Hudson Valley Pets allows members to mention the pandemic, and many note that the ability to spend time with their pets makes quarantine tolerable. “Sheltering in place with my Shelty,” Robert Jones wrote. “Not minding quarantine so much,” posted Paco’s mom, Teri Trotta of Wappingers Falls, above a pic of the parrot perched on her shoulder.
Medway schoolgirl’s therapy dog supports family during Covid-19 lockdown thanks to Tree of Hope charity
A school girl has had her life transformed thanks to her therapy dog and supporting charities.
Polly and her family, from Rochester, have found relief during the coronavirus lockdown because of therapy dog, Bailey.
Bailey has helped relieve the pressures of Polly’s ADHD and autism, thanks to Supporting Paws and fundraising charity Tree of Hope.
As lockdown continues and the threat of the coronavirus increases, it can be extremely stressful and difficult to manage for families of seriously ill and disabled children who have conditions to contend with on top of maintaining school routines.
At the age of nine, Polly was diagnosed with ADHD, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and severe anxiety.
Now 12, her anxiety has grown progressively worse and affects her daily.
Polly’s parents searched for additional ways to support Polly with her autism and anxiety for 18 months, which led them to Supporting Paws, an assistance dog organisation in Kent. Polly was accepted onto their programme for a companion/assistance dog.
Needing to self-fund the dog, the family enlisted the support of registered children’s crowdfunding charity, Tree of Hope, to help them raise £8,000.
Tree of Hope has been in operation, providing this kind of support to more than 550 families annually, for more than27 years.
Polly’s conditions meant her family life was constrained. Polly never liked being outside, so going out as a family was both challenging and rare. The idea of a family weekend away was non-existent and simple everyday things like walking to the park or going to the shops have always been a struggle.
Since new family member Bailey has been around, every aspect of their lives has improved.
Polly’s mum, said: ‘“Bailey really is a part of the family. The measures we’re all having to take now in light of this outbreak, it’s hard to imagine what we would have done to get through it this time last year.
“A year ago, Polly wouldn’t go outside, but now she willingly takes herself into the garden with Bailey when she needs to and does things because she wants to and has the support of Bailey.
“I can’t ask for anything more. To a lot of people, it’s not huge, but the bond Polly and Bailey have has made such a huge difference to Polly and our family life.
To find out more about Supporting Paws visit their Facebook page and for the fundraising charity Tree of Hope click here.
Tree of Hope is also asking supporters to enjoy digital dinner parties to help raise funds for other sick and disabled children like Polly.
Dine and Donate is now in its third year and has already raised more than £15,000 to help children all over the country, and this year, dinner parties will be held virtually via Zoom, Skype, Houseparty, Facetime and other digital platforms.
Whether you want to host a virtual afternoon tea, an online cocktail party or even a formal digital dinner, the event is a great excuse to get together with family and friends and help raise money for seriously ill and disabled children.
There are plenty of ideas for recipes and themes here, and Tree of Hope would love you to share your ideas and events on Twitter and Instagram using the hashtag #WhatWillYouHost.
Service dogs training
Through an empty Mall at Fairfield Commons, little paws trot and gallop around Monday afternoon. Service dogs in training, this litter is getting to know a new environment.
“Our greatest need is the for the puppies who have never been able to experience a big environment and so it’s a safe way for our staff to be able to give them what they need socialization-wise while still being able to keep themselves and others safe during this really weird time,” said Erin Bittner, director of socialization and genetics at 4 Paws for Ability.
The Mall at Fairfield Commons is closed to shoppers but stepped up to provide 4 Paws for Ability a space to continue their puppy socialization training.
“We love it when they come to visit,” said Leanne Rubosky, general manager at the mall.
“They didn’t have a place to train when all the mandates came down so we offered if they were interested and they were very interested in continuing to partner with us while we were closed,” Rubosky said.
She said, “My main role is a goodwill ambassador to the community and to find out how we can serve our neighbors well. This gave us a great opportunity to be able to do that.”
The mall provides new smells, sights and sounds to train the pups.
“The space really echoes. Glass barriers are something they only get in this type of environment, the different changes in floor textures, the open staircases,” said Bittner.
This will help them later down the line when they are placed with a family. Weekly mall explorations gets them comfortable with the unfamiliar.
“As a service dog if they have an experience they’ve never had, they have enough in their memory bank that they’re like- this is probably great too,” said Bittner.
4 Paws is for Ability said COVID-19 is prompting them to make major changes to their operations. Through it all, their partner are helping in any way they can.
“Our puppy raisers, a lot of them stepped up and took extra dogs into their home. Our on-site volunteers took dogs into their home that were going to be available for adoption (because) we couldn’t do adoptions right now,” Bittner explained.
This partnership with the mall ensuring they can keep on with their mission.
“We want to make sure that we have all these positive experiences so that in life as a service dog, it’s regular, it’s normal,” Bittner said.
Retired service dogs
The dogs of war, the dogs that help keep the peace, the dogs that track down the bad guys and turn up the missing, Man’s best friend and co-worker. What happens to them after a lifetime of service? Many retire with their handlers but not all. When the time comes, who rescues the rescuers?
Former Yakima Police officer Jason Johnson, inspired by his dog flash, started Project K-9 Hero, a foundation that supports retired service dogs.
From the foundation:
“We are so grateful for the service of our nation’s retired Police K-9 and Military Working Dog Heroes that we want to honor them in retirement, and ensure the best quality of life for them, by providing assistance with medical costs, food and end of duty services. We rely on donors like you to fund our project, because there are no public funds for police and military working dogs.”
Jason was on the Morning News to give an update on the foundation and the latest on a Moses Lake dog named Chief.
Johnson says he is now working with Congress to arrange sustainable funding through passage of the K-9 Hero Act.
For a little perspective, here’s a look behind the badge of K-9 training in California.
Families needs service dogs
A rescue group that trains service dogs for veterans says it’s in desperate need of foster families. Coco’s Cupboard says with the pandemic, fewer families are volunteering to foster service dogs in training, while the need for them among veterans and people with medical challenges is greater than ever.
Suzanne Aaron runs a rescue group called Coco’s Cupboard. She has trained service dogs for years. Recently, she started her own service dog program called Tails of Hope. It supplies dogs to veterans like Gail Johnston, who says her dog Sloan helps ease her PTSD symptoms.
“If my leg is bouncing, she will put her paw on it to let me know that I need to calm down because I do it without thinking about it,” Johnston said.
But Aaron says among all rescue groups in Georgia, right now with the pandemic there is a shortage of foster families, and it’s even worse for service dog fostering.
“Right now we have about 70 dogs and we are in need of about 20 foster families,” Aaron said.
Kim Bolan is a volunteer who fosters dogs before their service training. She’s working with Kylo.
“He is learning to retrieve prescription medicines and even though he has no retriever in him, he is really good at it,” Bolan said.
Whitney Mattews is a volunteer and also has a service dog named Star Lord. She says prospective service dogs need family time.
“They need to experience the hustle and bustle of a home,” she said.
So they are desperately looking for foster families for these dogs, who will spend the rest of their lives as an important partner in someone’s life.
“When you see the impact it has on the person’s life, it’s a game-changer,” Aaron said.
Adoption rates boost due to the pandemic
For those who are considering adopting or foster a pet, this would be the perfect time to do so with so many families staying home, after city and county officials directed a stay at home order and social distancing protocols.
Pets can provide pet owners with positive health benefits and coping mechanisms, as adoption cases boost during COVID-19 pandemic. At the El Paso Animal Services, 450 pets have recently been adopted.
For those who are considering adopting or fostering a pet, this would be the perfect time to do so, with so many families staying home after city and county officials directed a stay at home order and social distancing protocols.
“We are extremely grateful for the El Paso community and how they responded to our call for emergency fosters and adopters,” said Michele Anderson, the public affairs coordinator for the El Paso Animal Services.
El Paso Animal Services and rescue partners, El Paso Humane Society, temporarily closed their facilities to the public March 19 due to the pandemic, with Animal Protection Officers responding only to high-priority calls.
The El Paso Animal Services has then been operating the pet adoption and fostering programs, lost pet reclaims and the pet food bank through virtual and contactless delivery services. On March 24, the organization announced an emergency call on social media in hopeof finding fosters and adopters for the countless animals that were under custody.
“We received over 400 new applications of those wanting to foster, and we’ve since sent out 450 animals out to fosters or forever homes as lost pet reclaims and transfers to rescue partners,” said Anderson. “We now have over 1,200 animals out in foster care, which is amazing. We currently still have about 350 pets in our care at the shelter and are still welcoming new applications to adopt or foster.”
Pamela Vigo Sanchez, 26, was amongst the El Paso Animal Services foster applicants. The UTEP alumna and her mother decided to foster an 11-month-old husky named Halo, who was rescued by West Texas Tails from being euthanized. The dog was considered a cruelty case after his previous owners did not treat the dog’s injured and infected leg, resulting in an amputation after his owners voluntarily surrendered him to Animal Services.
“My mom wanted to help pets be spared from a hard life in the shelter, thus why all of our pets, past and present, are rescues. Not until this year did fostering come into play,” said Sanchez. “We couldn’t say no to his sad, wounded face, so here we are three weeks later.”
According to ESA Doctors, animals can have a monumental impact on the health and well-being of people, especially those who have health conditions or mental disorders. Studies on human and animal interaction have shown many positive benefits, which include exercise, cardiovascular health and decreased stress levels, stating that “While pets do not mend conditions that are present, the support they provide can be used as a coping mechanism to help with difficult life situations.”
The foster applicant described how these furry friends have made social distancing easier during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While we can’t see our friends, we get to be with our pets all day. It’s never a dull moment here in the Vigo Sanchez household. Whether it’s Bella and Mishu chasing each other, Oreo using Halo as a bodyguard or everyone still trying to figure out why the new guy is missing a leg, something is always happening,” said Sanchez as the family’s rescue pets have kept them active through daily walks and play that has helped them step away from the nonstop COVID-19 coverage.
“In addition, all pets coming to greet my mom, who has long days of seeing patients or doing hospital rounds, it helps her destress from the chaos immediately,” said Sanchez, who highly encourages people to consider fostering or adopting an animal from the shelter. “Fostering and adoption can save a life and help a pet start a new, happy life.”
El Pasoan Alba Dominguez, 29, made her first adoption four years ago and recently applied to foster a pitbull named Lulu. Dominguez, who is currently working as a nurse, and her boyfriend decided to adopt Lulu after getting attached to her and resulted to be of great company to their eldest rescue dog, Gunther. “I definitely feel like my dogs are a huge part of why I feel sane during the quarantine. They’ve got so much love to give and they’re not afraid to show it, Lulu especially since she just got here; she’s already picked up on some of my work-related stress and anxiety and will come to cuddle me and let me hug her for as long as I need to,” Dominguezsaid.“It’s a very healing relationship and we are both taking care of each other.”“No one should socialdistance alone. I think it’s a great opportunity for those that had to transition working from home or taking online classes to have some company still while they are self-isolating,” Andersonsaid.
Canine Companions
In these uncertain times, many of us look to our four-legged helpers for stability and companionship. For those who rely on service dogs, the animals can bring an added level of comfort during the pandemic
At St. Augustine Rehab Specialists, 3-year old Harley has big responsibilities. Every day, Harley works to make life easier for those living with Parkinson’s Disease. A major part of his job is to help patients with their physical therapy, but the personal impact he has is just as important. Especially during this pandemic.
“He immediately clears their mind,” Lomaglio said. “They’re not thinking about coronavirus when they walk through the door. They’re thinking, ‘oh, there’s Harley!’”
Harley and his human, physical therapist Melanie Lomaglio, were matched through Canine Companions for Independence a year ago. They’ve gotten close in that time. In many ways, he’s gotten close with her patients, too.
“Parkinson’s causes what we call non-motor symptoms which is depression, anxiety, and apathy,” Lomaglio said. “So, when something like coronavirus comes along, all of those things are exacerbated.”
Lomaglio says Harley’s ability to connect with patients can ease their symptoms.
“Harley, just by his nature, is able to reduce some of those things,” Lomaglio said.
Despite the virus, CCI is working to make more success stories. Normally Robyn Bush would train McCall at the training center near her home in Orlando. Instead, she works from home to get him ready for his future human.
“We get to see kind of their pet side, like what they’re like at home,” Bush said. “Just gathering so much information about their personality and their temperament.”
McCall is adapting well, too. When things finally do return to normal, those in need of a service dog can feel confident in knowing some are ready to help now, and others are well on their way.
Dogs could get separation anxiety
Fido may get frantic when the coronavirus quarantining ends.
While isolated humans can’t wait until the end of work-from-home culture, canine experts say that lifting shelter-in-place restrictions could conversely cause “extreme separation anxiety” in the millions of dogs who’ve grown accustomed to their owners’ constant companionship during lockdown.
“With such an overload of quality time with their families, dogs are building up a huge reservoir of over-dependency,” animal psychology expert Roger Mugford tells the Times. Mugford, who’s known for training Queen Elizabeth’s corgis, adds that the pampered pooches could “suffer when mums and dads suddenly return to work and the children go back to school.”
Dr. Karen Sueda, a veterinary behaviorist added in a statement to Insider, “Dogs thrive on consistency and predictability, as we all do, so any time there’s an abrupt change, it can cause stress.”
The mental whiplash could cause formerly doted-upon doggies to engage in a range of erratic behaviors, including defecating, urinating, howling, chewing or trying to escape, reports the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Some panicky pups could even practice coprophagia, where they defecate and then consume their own feces.
“Put a webcam on your dog, and you’ll see howling and pacing and other distress signs,” Mugford tells the Times.
Separation anxiety isn’t just psychologically damaging. The ASPCA reports stressed pets could attempt “to dig and chew through doors or windows, which could result in self-injury, such as broken teeth, cut and scraped front paws and damaged nails.”
It’s a frightening proposition as approximately 20% to 40% of dogs referred to animal behavior practices in North America are diagnosed with separation anxiety, even when not isolating with their owners, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association.
While there is no remedy for canine conniptions, dog experts do advise acclimating pooches to separation prior to the end of lockdown, à la conditioning applied by famed researcher Ivan Pavlov.
“Allow your pet to have some alone time,” says Sueda. “You have your space, and they have theirs.” For those who live in cramped quarters with their canine companions, the ASPCA prescribes training your dog to perform out-of-sight “stays” by an inside door in the home, such as the bathroom.
Separation anxiety specialist Malena DeMartini-Price tells Insider, “It’s a gradual process of using small absences that start to teach the dog that absences are safe.” Still, abandoning one’s fur babies for even short periods could prove a tall order for the millions who are relying on — and even buying — dogs to keep themselves sane during lockdown. Especially when Fluffy’s so happy to see their master that he sprain their tail from wagging it so much.
That’s why canine specialists also advise keeping man’s best friend engaged via enrichment activities such as crate training, interactive toys and more, the ASPCA reports.
Dog-appeasing pheromone (DAP), white noise and medications such as Zylkene or Anxitane might also help Lassie avoid separation anxiety, according to Sueda.
Stay-at-home service dog training
Eric Caron, a retired guidance counselor who has been blind since birth, recently moved to a new home. He noticed his guide dog, a yellow Labrador retriever named Ryan, had trouble leading him across a busy intersection he must cross regularly. Caron knew what that meant: It was time to retire Ryan, a near-senior citizen at 9 years old, to pet status and get a new guide dog.
But as the novel coronavirus spread, Caron’s “dog day” appointment on April 2, at the New York-based Guiding Eyes for the Blind, was postponed indefinitely.
“I had packed my bags a good month before the class date, including some special toys for the new dog,” said Caron, of Brattleboro, Vt. “I had a new pair of shoes for walking and a special shirt for graduation. I was ready. And now, you just have to take that bag and roll it in the closet.”
Like many people with disabilities, Caron relies on a service dog to help him navigate not just the world, but also his home and property. The dogs are trained to do specific tasks such as guiding people in public, opening doors and interrupting anxiety attacks. That training can last up to two years, and it is now on hold nationwide as the coronavirus crisis continues.
The handoff of already-trained service dogs to people like Caron also is paused, because it has to be done in person and with instructors and clients standing close together. That means people whose dogs are ready to retire, as well as people who have been on waiting lists a year or longer to get their first service dogs, remain in limbo.
“We’re under orders, depending on what state you live in, not to do activities that are not deemed as essential. Because this is considered education, it’s not deemed essential,” said Ben Cawley, director of training at Guiding Eyes for the Blind. “A guide dog-user would argue that it is essential, but we can’t be putting our staff or volunteers or applicants in an irresponsible situation.”
When New York ordered a statewide shutdown, Guiding Eyes for the Blind had 178 dogs in its Yorktown kennels as well as puppies in a second facility. Those dogs went home with staff and volunteers who are keeping them happy but who can’t train them during the pandemic to walk in grocery stores or down crowded sidewalks.
Canine Companions for Independence, based in Santa Rosa, Calif., faced a similar situation. Its six nationwide campuses are now closed, some 420 of its dogs in training are living with staff and volunteers, and the 400 people with physical and hearing disabilities on its waiting list are going to have to wait for the program to resume.
“We would love to be able, during this time, to continue to train the dogs at home and then perhaps look at doing some virtual training,” said Jeanine Konopelski, national director of marketing at Canine Companions, “but still, that in-person connection, the person meeting the dog, that still has to happen, and we can’t do that right now.”
Michelle Barlak, a spokeswoman for The Seeing Eye in Morristown, N.J., said a class to pair dogs and clients was in progress when the state shut down most businesses. The organization accelerated the training, got the dogs into homes with clients and has been following up by phone, Skype and email, she said.
An immediate challenge, Barlak said, is that the organization’s in-house veterinary clinic also was forced to close. That means local veterinarians end up handling problems, a more costly option eating into existing funding.
Another concern is making sure essential workers who rely on guide dogs can keep doing their jobs, said Thomas Panek, chief executive of Guiding Eyes for the Blind. If for some reason such a worker needed a replacement dog, he said, handoff could be tricky — and their critical work put in jeopardy.
“Right now, there are people who are blind and on the front lines in this crisis,” he said. “I know four people who work in the federal government. They have to go into places like the emergency response centers. They’re using their service dogs to get to work. They’re part of the crisis response team; they just happen to be blind.” How quickly future cohorts of service dogs can be ready remains an open question. Training programs are run on schedules, and those schedules are set back every day the pandemic goes on. Dogs living in foster homes may be safe and content, but some are losing skills.
“Many of our dogs need to learn how to work around adaptive equipment like wheelchairs,” said Sarah Birman, national director of training and client services at Canine Companions. “I don’t have a wheelchair in my house to practice with. I don’t have the special light switch to practice with, like the one that’s specially constructed at our center.”
The longer the crisis persists, Barlak said, the harder it will be for the dogs to get back on track. For now, she said, “I think our dogs are going to be able to catch up quite easily. If we’re all still sitting here a year from now? Then, I would be concerned.”
Teal Morris, a family caseworker for the Indiana Department of Child Services, is waiting out the worry with her golden retriever-Lab mix, Phil. She got him through Canine Companions in 2011 to help with her lifelong spina bifida. Phil picks up things she drops, and she uses his leash to maintain balance if she stumbles or trips.
But Phil is 11 and due to retire. Morris was supposed to meet his replacement in May. Now, the earliest possibility is August.
“There’s just so many unknown factors,” Morris says. “I’m trying to take it one day at a time. I have a little girl who is 2½, and with her, things are changing every day about regulations and schools being opened and closed.”
Caron, in Vermont with his guide dog Ryan, also is waiting out the crisis as his wife picks up extra 12-hour shifts. She’s an emergency-room nurse treating coronavirus patients.
“I know that Guiding Eyes is trying really hard to keep everything flowing. When they know what the virus is going to let us do, they’ll get back to me,” Caron added. “I don’t even know which dog would have been mine, but in my heart, I’m picturing this dog just waiting.”
For now, he’s focusing on Ryan.
“I still have to go to Tractor Supply to get dog food. I still have to do things,” Caron said. “Right now, I need him to stay healthy so we can go for walks and stay connected to the world.”
Puppy serves as comfort dog
Last fall, Jennifer Perry’s Labrador retriever mix, Paisley, was diagnosed with a heart condition.
Perry, a counselor and forensic interviewer at the Nampa Family Justice Center, said one of the side effects of the condition is the possibility of sudden death.
Paisley, now 13 years old and a certified therapy dog, had been helping Perry for several years during her interviews with children who were suspected of being abused.
“I can’t be bringing him to work and have the chance that he die while I’m in an interview with a child,” said Perry, who also is a licensed clinical social worker. “And so I decided to retire him.”
Perry said she saw the impact Paisley had on children, even if they weren’t petting or touching him. It was just a comfort for them to know Paisley was there.
This caused Perry to consider training another dog to work with her at the Family Justice Center, which is located at 1305 Third St. S. in Nampa and serves victims of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual violence, elder abuse, stalking and sex trafficking.
And in February, her new partner — a golden retriever-poodle mix, or goldendoodle, puppy — was born. The puppy, now 10 weeks old and named Rucker, came home with Perry in early April. He was donated by Maggie’s Dynamic Doodles, a Nampa-based breeder, to serve as a comfort dog for children, as well as adult victims, at the Family Justice Center.
In 2015, Perry started incorporating Paisley into her counseling sessions and forensic interviews, which are focused on gathering information in a non-suggestive or non-leading manner from a child who is suspected of being abused. The pair had just become a certified therapy dog team through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs a year prior.
Most children like the idea of having the dog in the room for the duration of the interview, Perry said. But surprisingly, they don’t always interact with the animal right off the bat; sometimes it takes a bit of time for them to engage with the dog.
During breaks in interviews at the Family Justice Center, when Perry would step out to talk to the observing investigators, she’d let Paisley stay in the room with the child if they wanted. While on break, this is when the child often would look to Paisley for comfort, hugging or petting the dog. “That was really when I could see them on the video cameras like lean over and hug the dog or talk to the dog,” Perry said. “I’m a stranger that they have never met before, and then I’m sitting in there asking them details about abuse that has happened to them. It can be embarrassing and hard to talk about. … So, the dog adds a layer of comfort.”
Jeannie Strohmeyer, the program manager at the center, said while giving tours of the facility, one of her favorite stories to tell involves Perry and Paisley.
“Jenny (Perry) was interviewing a child, and the child wasn’t wanting to disclose or talk about anything; they just felt really uncomfortable and shy,” Strohmeyer said. “And then while Jenny was on break, the child who was still in the room with Paisley began to tell the dog their story.”
Perry said that isn’t the norm for most interviews, but it’s a perfect example of the real impact dogs can have in these types of situations. This also is why she knew it was so important to train another comfort dog to help victims.
“It was a bummer for me to have to retire Paisley. He is just calm and easygoing, and I can totally trust him with anybody,” Perry said. “If it wasn’t for his heart stuff, he’d still be here and doing things.”
Initially, Perry said she and her husband were talking about buying another dog to train, but before they could do that, Rucker came into the picture.
Perry said Maggie’s Dynamic Doodles had donated a goldendoodle puppy to the Family Justice Center’s annual fundraising gala in 2019 and 2020. At this year’s event, the puppy was auctioned off to a family and brought in $2,400.
Perry said she and her husband watched the dog for a few days before the gala and saw just how sweet the breed could be, as well as its potential for being a comfort dog.
After talking with a Family Justice Center employee, the owners of Maggie’s Dynamic Doodles decided to donate another puppy to work specifically within the nonprofit, Perry said. Rucker had been selected for his temperament, calm demeanor and desire to engage with people.
“I never thought we’d have a dog donated to the Family Justice Center to be used for this. I think in my head it was always, ‘Oh, it’ll be my husband and I buying another dog,’” Perry said. “It is so encouraging to see how much people value this, and that Maggie’s Doodles were willing to give a donation like this. It’s just incredibly generous.”
Before Rucker is able to work with any clients, the pair must become a certified therapy dog team, Perry said. He’ll continue to visit the Family Justice Center a few days a week to get acclimated and familiar with the staff.
Once Rucker is certified — which will most likely occur once he is a year old — he’ll continue to be in forensic interviews with Perry, but also can assist any of the Family Justice Center’s partner agencies, such as law enforcement, victim advocates and Child Protective Services. Although he’ll be trained as a therapy dog, Rucker will be considered a comfort dog while at the Family Justice Center, Perry said. This is because the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, the certifying agency, doesn’t allow a person to have their personal dog acting as a therapy dog in their workplace since Rucker lives with Perry and her family — just like Paisley, who also is certified, but was considered a comfort animal before his retirement. Perry said Rucker will be utilized in a more widespread manner than Paisley, working with victims of all ages and learning additional tricks. This could include bringing a person a box of tissues or laying his head on their lap.
Guide for Getting a Puppy
Royal Frenchel has announced the release of their most recent infographic:
A Checklist For A New Puppy. The infographic breaks down the items needed and offers tips for training them, so your experience will be both rewarding and enjoyable.
According to Royal Frenchel, “When training a puppy, it is important to make training a positive experience using praise and always end with a true connection. In addition, you should have consistency in training and house rules, and for bonding, it is essential to spend uninterrupted time engaging with your puppy every day.”
Included in the infographic are questions you should ask when choosing the perfect puppy for your family. Questions like “How large is this puppy expected to grow?” and “Is this breed good with people, other dogs, and children?” will give you the information you need to make an informative choice when choosing a puppy right for your family.
To make sure you are prepared for your new furry friend, make sure you buy some of the essentials including bowls, a few beds, a sturdy kennel, and harness with a leash. You need to also make sure anything that can be harmful to your new puppy or anything that can easily be destroyed needs to be put up and out of harm’s way. In an effort to find a good service dog for her daughter, Anahata Graceland a breeder of over half a century, created the Royal Frenchel. Royal Frenchels were awarded the Top Award of Pets Best and Farmers Insurance Companies for being a top breed to buy for best health, personality, and longevity. Royal Frenchels are intuitive, intelligent, fun loving dogs most often used as service and therapy dogs. They are a crossbreed predominantly created with the French Bulldog and Cavalier King Charles Spaniel along with other breeds which were used to stabilize the genes.
Dogs helping people cope
Psychologists say pets can help get people through COVID-19 isolation.
Are our four-legged friends really helping us deal with the loss of normality Psychologists say our pets more special than you think?
Baby Capris just turned nine-weeks old. A Great Dane, this bundle of cuteness is keeping the Wennmacher family busy during Illinois’s shelter-in order.
“Definitely not a lot of sitting down, chasing her up and sown the hallways making sure she’s not eating the leggos,” says owner and mother Ashlee Wennmacher.
Capris came to the family two weeks ago. Ashlee says with her she brought structure, and with three kids under the age of ten, she says Capris keeps them entertained.
“They are definitely learning some life skills about the dogs, how to feed them, how to care for the dogs,” she says.
Dog owner Alex Chalmers works part time in aged care. He says his beloved pooches have redefined the meaning of patience.
“Just take it day by day. They’re going to be with me as well. As long as I don’t get worried they don’t, and as long as they’re calm I’m calm.”
Studies prove pets can provide non-judgemental emotional support.
Psychologist Dr. Carl Vincent says, “animals can help fill in that sense of isolation and that’s what people are feeling.”
December 1st 2019, Diana Bush lost her husband. She says the loss of her husband Denny was one of the hardest things she’s ever had to deal with. She says Gracie her two-year-old Cavalier King Charles Spaniel is her saving grace.
“My husband loved her so she’s a part of him… she just keeps me calm.”
Dogs provide us with comfort, love and friendship. For the Whennmacher’s it’s a good laugh. For Alex its motivation and clarity. For Diana it’s emotional support.
Pets are good for our mental health and they can help bring back some degree of normalcy.
Those considering buying, adopting or fostering a pet are advised to seriously what’s involved, because our four-legged friends need us, as much as we need them.