Comments on: Therapy Dogs and Healing

By: Coline T. McGehee

Coline T. McGehee — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 05:06:59 +0000

I wonder if dogs could be used to help autistic persons. It would be so good to see some of them calm down and relax. Maybe they would learn to express affection from contact with the dog. Ho wonderful that would be!

By: Joanne

Joanne — Mon, 21 Nov 2011 00:15:52 +0000

I am a member of Love on a leash, our chapter is called wags and kisses in So Calif. I have seen amazing things happen with the dogs and patients. One that stands out was when I took my Pom. mix rescue into a facility where there was a woman who when I brought Teddy close for her to pet said, “He’s so fluffy” the staff all looked at each other in amazement and said, “she spoke”. I have also taken him into the VA hosp. where he sits in the laps of patients receiving Chemo. I am thankful to God for these amazing animal and there ability to love unconditionally. Thanks for the article.

By: Sue R

Sue R — Sat, 19 Nov 2011 01:58:04 +0000

As a speech pathologist in the public schools and part of an AAT team with my rescue dog Jazzie, I witnessed the miracle breakthroughs that a properly trained team can accomplish with disabled children. More research in this area is desperately needed, as many school districts are reluctant to allow AAT for fear of lawsuits. Thank you, SEP for helping to raise awareness for this important and effective therapy tool.

By: Lela

Lela — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 18:28:03 +0000

Twenty years ago we began taking our sled dog team to schools, libraries, hospitals and nursing homes. One of our five dogs was named Star and was she ever! We could take Star to a special ed classroom and children could touch and rub her anywhere and she would just enjoy it and them. Their smiles, as blind children “felt” an ear or a nose or a tail were priceless. Next we got another malamute, Su and for eight years, Su hugged and smiled and loved children all over the country. In one fourth grade autistism class, a little girl “read” to her for the first time, by pointing to colors and pictures in the book and naming things in the same way teachers had read to her. We all just watched in awe. It was even more than magical as this article in the SEP points out. They are unconditionally loving gifts to us.

By: Sherri Halstead

Sherri Halstead — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:57:41 +0000

I also am a volunteer in the Palm Springs area with Animal Samaritnas, SPCA AAT program. Thank you for explaining so well what these programs actually accomplish. Our group has expanded into our local school districts where a handful of highly trained, extremely patient and tolerant dogs work with special needs classrooms. Our “kids” have varying degrees of disabilities from Autism all the way through profoundly disabled, no speech, no movement, little cognitive, G-tube fed, etc. These marvelous dogs have caused miracles to happen with these kids. Getting a child to do even one thing as simple as raising thier head to look at the dog, or anything they couldn’t do before the AAT dog came into their world is our goal. I am blessed to be part of my dog’s (Elvira) work.

By: nick hill rn

nick hill rn — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 01:40:43 +0000

There is no greater gift that we can give or receive than to share our AAT dogs with patients. A mircle of some kind happens on every visit. I often think I get more out of it just watching the special bond these dogs share than the patients, family, or staff. There is a special place in heaven over the rainbow bridge for these dogs. We have 4 certified Bouvier des Flandres and our hospital units have included Psyche, Acute Rehab, Skilled Nursing, Hospice, Pediatrics, ICU, and anywhere else the therapist/facility thinks our dogs can help….

By: Karen Davis

Karen Davis — Thu, 10 Nov 2011 00:36:21 +0000

As an A.A.T. volunteer in the California desert (Palm Springs area) with my Golden, Kate, I was absolutely thrilled to see this fantastic article on what we do and why we do it. Thank you S.E.P. for bringing this worthy work into the national spotlight!! I have always loved your publication — even more so now. :) Karen Davis

By: Linda

Linda — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 01:46:59 +0000

Great article. I am also a member of Faithful Paws. My husband and I have been taking our 3 year old Great Pyrenees Rescue dog to see children in a hospital for a few months now. The connections between these animals and the children we visit is incredible. Last week we visited a very sick child, sicker than any that we had seen previously. Our Pyr wanted to be so close to her and really did not want to leave her. I had to fight back tears as I watched the mother running her child’s fingers through Teddy’s soft fur. The girl’s eyes grew brighter and she was smiling through her pain. I love doing therapy with our dog and am so thrilled to have found Faithful Paws. We are about to start hospice training with him, too. It is very rewarding work.
Linda

By: Kathy

Kathy — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 18:46:41 +0000

I am a member of Faithful Paws in Houston, Texas and we have about 200 members who visit nursing homes, hospitals, re-habs, and children’s facilties in the Houston area and we love spreading joy and comfort with our certified pets. We are happy to see this program growing everywhere. We have been contacted as far away as Argentina by groups starting AAT in their areas and modeling their programs after ours. You can’t beat the unconditional love brought by a warm, furry pet.
Happy visiting.
Kathy