Labradoodle Service Dog

I spoke this week with Hadley Jo Lange’s mother, Heather, about the special bond her daughter has with her faithful labradoodle, Ariel, who has assisted Hadley, who has epilepsy, for the past four years.

Ariel is always on guard to alert Heather and the Lange family when Hadley experiences a seizure.

Heather says she is “beyond grateful” for the presence of Ariel in their family. “She really does save my daughter’s life,” aptly describing her as “my daughter’s lifeline.”

Stress is often a trigger for Hadley’s seizures. That’s when Ariel responds and “alerts,” Heather explained, which exhibits itself in behaviors such as Ariel moving around, showing anxiety and barking. This is how Ariel conveys a message of “Help me” in order to help Hadley, who sometimes has several seizures a day; other times, her seizures may be spaced out by weeks at a time.

Ariel is always happily by Hadley’s side, including amid medical ordeals.

“How do I ever thank this dog?” Heather told me. “Ariel has a unique bond with Hadley Jo that she doesn’t have with anyone else.”

Ariel, who is the only service dog at a Catholic school in the Archdiocese of Louisville, provides ample support for Hadley by watching over her, giving her parents peace of mind.

Heather worked with a service-dog training organization, Ultimate Canine, to make sure that the dog was well trained to be in the classroom to assist Hadley, with the blessing of the school principal and assistance of school staff.

“This dog is so highly trained, with special areas in the classroom. No one knows she’s there,” Heather said, adding that it means so much that people will listen and accommodate a need like this. “The more people understand, the more willing they are to help you.”

Heather is committed to educating others, especially families, about the vital need specially trained service dogs provide and showing them that if it has worked well for their family, it can work for others, too.

The need for a service dog for Hadley became apparent when a stranger’s service dog alerted the Lange family to a seizure when Hadley was just 2 years old.

Afterward, Heather, a nurse practitioner, looked into the possibility of a service dog for Hadley. “I was a desperate mother desperate for answers,” she explained of her quest that involved much research. Labradoodles like Ariel are known to gravitate toward children; they are also known for being friendly and approachable. In addition, they are non-shedding and hypoallergenic.

Heather attributes her family’s story to the workings of the Holy Spirit and feels blessed to share their story.

“I really do believe this was God’s plan: that he gave us this disease to do something good with it.”

Now, Hadley Jo and Ariel are ambassadors of goodness, so to speak, highlighting a message of inclusiveness.

“I love the message of inclusiveness. Not everyone looks the same, learns the same,” Heather explained. “Our school has chosen to allow my daughter to bring her dog to school — to be part of the class, the school — made efforts to include her in St. Patrick’s family.”

Inclusiveness is a “big, powerful word. My message is: Look at this school — the inclusion, kindness and compassion — other schools can do this, too.”

“As a person of faith, the Catholic faith and values are important to my husband and me; we were raised in the faith and Catholic schools, and we want that for our children.”

She continued, “Faith has given me a sense of security and hope — when you do experience a crisis, you’re not alone. You may feel alone, but you’re not alone. God is there.”

Heather said the world has a need for good messages right now and recognizes that this story has been “so comforting to so many people,” adding that it’s a “time for good news.” She is grateful it is striking a chord globally on so many levels, “not just ‘How cute?’— it’s a message that needs to be shared.”

She emphasized, “The yearbook photo is a sign of God’s love, compassion and inclusion: a simple act of kindness — how beautiful is that?”

For Hadley Jo, her “youthful heart” is apparent, too, according to her mom. Once, when seeing their story featured on TV, Hadley looked at Ariel and said, “Look at this: You’re famous.”

Ever a constant companion, Ariel continues to be by Hadley’s side. Since home schooling amid the pandemic, Ariel has been “right there with her,” Heather related. Like always. Most of all, despite her medical concerns, Hadley Jo is “the happiest kid,” her mom says, “who brings so much joy to us.”

Law Enforcement Dog

Cody, a bomb-sniffing dog from Newport News, could win Law Enforcement Dog of the Year.

The 8-year-old pup is competing against two other dogs in the same category: Denny, from Lindenhurst, New York and Axel from Scranton, Pennsylvania.

The annual event has seven categories for the award show this year: Therapy Dogs, Service Dogs, Military Dogs; Law Enforcement Dogs, Shelter Dogs; Search and Rescue Dogs and Guide/Hearing Dogs, according to the news release.

In addition, the 21 dogs remaining were selected out of 408 initial candidates and the winner of each category appears on the Hero Dog Awards in the fall. Voting ends July 16. You can vote Cody here.

Cody’s handler, James Overton, of American K-9 Interdiction, said in a prepared statement that Cody started in explosives detection in Iraq before continuing her career at the Mall of America and was transferred to Newport News working at Busch Gardens, LPGA tours and other events.

Cody also helps local agencies with bomb threats, visits schools and loves ear scratches.

Overton wrote one time while Cody was working at an amusement park when a girl around 8 years old waiting in line for a ride was bit in the leg by a service dog.

“When Cody saw the little girl, she immediately walked over, licked the girl’s hand and then laid at her feet,” Overton wrote. “Almost immediately, the little girl stopped crying, and was soon smiling, thanks to Cody.”

Keeping Pets Under Control

With many more people at home as a result of lockdown restrictions, there has been a sharp increase in people walking their dogs.

While this is good exercise for both dog and owner, there has been an increase in complaints about dogs not being kept under adequate control in public areas.

Complaints about dog fouling have also increased to Pembrokeshire County Council and local Town and Community Councils.

To continue to support each other and our communities, the Dog Control Service is asking all dog owners to act responsibly.

While in public places – particularly those that are well used by the public – dogs should be kept under close control.

That may mean well trained dogs are kept to heel and other more boisterous pets are kept on a lead.

This will help reduce the number of complaints of dogs being attacked by others.

It will also reduce the fear and concern some members of the public have about loose dogs as well as actual incidents of people being injured.

The Service would also request that dogs are not permitted to stray unaccompanied as this is adding additional pressure with the Dog Wardens having to return dogs that have been in the kennels to their owners.

Please also keep a close eye on your dogs at home and ensure that they don’t have the opportunity to escape.

Additionally the Service would again request that all dog owners continue to pick up after their pets.

When walking your pet please be mindful of the Welsh Government rules and stay local – defined as within five miles of your home – wherever possible.

Guide Dog Teams

In this time when so many of our social rituals have changed to accommodate the new rules of a global pandemic, one thing remains a constant: the need to remember to always use your powers of observation and offer a comfortable “physical distance” around a guide dog and his human handler when they are out in a public setting. Guide dogs are the eyes of their handler–they are trained to lead the way safely and securely. But we can’t expect guide dogs to understand the current physical distancing practice of maintaining 6-foot clearances.

Guide dogs are trained to be decision makers. Even under stressful situations the intent of the dogs’ presence is to protect their handlers from harmful situations involving clearances around obstacles and navigating over dangerous under footings. When another party is in too close proximity, it can distract the dog from its tasks. Just as we humans like our space, guide dogs need space as well to perform their duties.

Our wonderful guide dogs are specifically trained to make safe choices in public settings. This includes on stairways, elevators, and escalators; in supermarket aisles; around restaurant tables and along sidewalks. The long-standing message of being a careful observer applies when you are in the same vicinity as the guide dog team—especially when locating, entering, or exiting doorways. Remember that the dog knows to lead his handler with safe clearance, but he does not know how to create a 6-foot gap.

I believe the guide dog’s presence should tell the story and that we humans must observe and react with care. The responsibility for recommended physical spacing in the presence of a working team should fall to the sighted party. Please decide when it is necessary to make the adjustment for 6-feet of distance between you, and do it in a casual manner. When you see a guide dog team approaching, be observant and add a small amount of space between you as needed. There is no reason for exaggeration, but it’s easy to add a little physical separation to comply with safety practices. A slight movement one way or another will help a lot. We each do it every day in our people-to-people encounters.

And please do this with subtlety and tact. The blind person approaching you does not want to feel awkward or to be put on the spot. Nor do they want to be given preferential treatment. Blindness in and of itself can be the cause of social isolation and often results in loneliness and distancing from life and human interaction. We are in no way suggesting that you avoid engaging with a visually impaired person–just not when that can interfere with their safety and health.

We are all having to make adjustments to adhere to the new protocols and safety measures designed to flatten the curve of Covid-19 in our daily lives. Thank you for being sensitive about giving our life-changing guide dogs a little more space in theirs.

Hero Therapy Dog

In February, Manitoba lost one of its best-known health-care workers.

Rusty the therapy dog, who put smiles on the faces of countless Manitobans over a decade of service at Winnipeg’s St. Boniface Hospital, died of cancer at age 17 on Feb. 17.  Despite the emotional task of saying goodbye to such a good boy, Rusty’s owner, George Ames, told 680 CJOB on Friday that he has some good news — news Rusty himself would approve of.

“Rusty has a new friend, a dog in training to try to fill Rusty’s shoes, and his name is Hero,” said Ames.

“Hero was born on Remembrance Day, hence his name, and he’s a wonderful four-year-old husky who has a demeanour that’s very rare among huskies.”

Ames said he didn’t want to buy a new dog that could have potentially come from a puppy mill, so he put an ad out on Kijiji for a dog with the right personality — one that he could check the background of.

After “all kinds of very nice offers,” Ames said he heard from a Selkirk, Man., woman with a small, certified breeding program for Siberian huskies.

Hero was her personal pet.

“When she read the ad, some compassion came from her soul and she said, ‘I have the dog for George to help others,’ and she gave us Hero,” he said.

“A lot of people thought Rusty was one in a million, and maybe he was. And maybe Hero is one in a thousand at the beginning of his career.

“He just came out of the womb a happy guy, I believe, and he is going to be special, let me tell you that.

Ames said he initially struggled with the idea of replacing his longtime companion, but with the growing acceptance of therapy dogs by both the public and institutions, he knew Rusty’s legacy had to go forward.

“Rusty had a tremendous number of fans. When he died, his Facebook page got almost half a million exposures of people sharing the story. We received over 800 comments on his Facebook page of people who wanted to tell their experiences.”

Leaving Pets In Hot Weather

Here are some timely reminders of what we should be doing to keep our pets safe when it’s hot.

Dogs in cars – we received several calls last week from members of the public who were concerned about dogs being left in vehicles.

Even with a vehicle parked in shade, with its windows open and a blanket over the windscreen, the temperature inside is likely to cause a dog discomfort, or worse – it could cause heatstroke and death.

Please leave your dogs at home when the weather is as hot as it has been.

When exercising your dog try to avoid the hottest part of the day and don’t play with them outside when the temperatures are high.

Many dogs just don’t know when to stop and will continue to play with a ball despite over-heating.

A paddling pool may help your dog to cool down, and they should have access to water at all times. Heatstroke can kill, and overweight dogs are particularly at risk.

Cats are generally less energetic in warm weather and they are adept at finding shady places to rest.

However, those with white noses and ears are at risk of getting those areas sunburnt, and so they should have a high-factor, pet-safe sunscreen applied.

If you are a rabbit owner please be extra vigilant at the moment and check your pet’s fur at least twice a day, particularly at its rear end (under the tail, which can be hidden from view).

Flystrike is a huge problem in the summer months. Flies are attracted to moist and dirty areas to lay their eggs which rapidly hatch into maggots.

There are licensed products that can be applied to a rabbit’s fur to prevent fly attraction, but good husbandry and hygiene will minimise the problem.

And what about wildlife?

We have had some sick hedgehogs brought to us over the last few days with a variety of problems, including tick infestations.

Ticks know no boundaries and will happily attach themselves to any mammal or bird, and so check your pets regularly.

A couple of the hedgehogs that we saw last week were dehydrated and so please remember to place shallow bowls of fresh water in your garden for the them to drink from.

And water for birds should be left in an elevated position to avoid predation by cats

Back to dogs, we have our very own sun-worshipper in Jeff, the five-year-old lurcher cross.

He is a bundle of fun who simply loves people, although he can be wary of strangers.

It is such a shame that large dogs, like Jeff, are consistently overlooked by potential adopters because of their size.

Jeff has excellent manners and is responsive to commands, and he would be best suited to an active family and an environment where he can run around and get plenty of exercise.

This is exactly what we are offering with our new day care service for dogs, due to open mid-June to coincide with dogs owners returning to work after lockdown.

We will be using our large barn here at Ard Jerkyll, two ’quiet rooms’, two garden areas and a large paddock. We will be able to cater for all dogs – large or small, boisterous or timid – and our qualified staff will be able to address any behavioural issues the day care dogs may have.

Zoom Therapy Dogs

Nicholas Gaiani grinned as he narrated the lyrics to a beloved Louis Armstrong song for his furry audience on Zoom from his home in Bethesda.

“And I think to myself, what a wonderful world,” Nicholas, six, read from the illustrated book version of the song, as he does each week during his “Read to a PAL Therapy Dog!” session.

The Washington-based nonprofit group called People. Animals. Love. has switched its in-person meetups to virtual sessions during the pandemic to serve hundreds of kids per month who are practising reading.

JP the pooch slept through much of Nicholas’s reading of both “What a Wonderful World” and “Good Night Washington, DC.”

No hard feelings. They’re judgment-free sessions, so dog naps are okay. And if new readers want to strut their stuff – or even if they struggle with some words – that’s all right, too.
“He’s really proud that he can read,” said Nicholas’s mother, Alissa Gaiani. “It’s really given him a platform to show that off a bit.”

PAL coordinates about 500 individually owned dogs and a few cats to provide comfort to people in places such as care facilities, libraries and prisons. During the pandemic, the young readers programme moved online to keep the service going.

“We think part of the awesomeness is to see the dog on the screen,” said James Haworth, executive director of PAL, which was started in 1982 by retired veterinarian Earl Strimple.

Kids are often frightened if a teacher asks them to read in front of the classroom, but they are not intimidated by dogs, which makes the pooches a more comfortable audience.

Alissa Gaiani said her son has done many Zoom therapy sessions, and he attended an in-person session about a year ago. Her own two dogs sometimes make background appearances, but they are not nearly as exciting to Nicholas as the new dog faces.

“He’s enjoying meeting the different types of dogs, and he gets excited when he recognises a name,” said Gaiani, 41.

“He’s just been happy to read to someone other than his parents. It’s been a really good outlet for that.” The Zoom sessions are also helping Nicholas, a kindergartner at Burning Tree Elementary School in Bethesda, cope with isolation.

“In the beginning, the kids were excited to be home. . . . Now, some of that excitement has worn off,” she said. “He misses his friends. This is something for him to look forward to – something different in his daily routine.”

The children’s programme usually takes place at Washington-area libraries, where kids read aloud to and pet dogs in groups.

Now PAL hosts two 30-minute sessions three days a week – and sessions book up fast. During the sessions, two groups of six or seven kids – generally ages five to 10 – sign onto the Zoom. Each child is paired with a dog and its volunteer owner/handler. After an introduction with other participants and an emcee, each pair goes into a virtual breakout room for a session that lasts about 12 minutes. After that, kids go into a session with another dog.

Kids pick a favourite book and read it to the dogs, while turning around the books to show the dogs the page illustrations.

At the end of the session, the handlers wiggle their dogs’ paws as a farewell wave.

“I think it’s not just the dog. There’s a caring adult with the dog who is eager to listen to a child … and that feels good for a child,” Haworth said. “A lot of the kids take the assignment of reading to a therapy dog very seriously.”

Fiona Lassiter, JP’s handler, who lives in Alexandria, jokes that the dog – whose name stands for Jersey Prince – is a horrible worker, because he sleeps on the job. Actually, JP isn’t snoozing because he is bored. The three-year-old Maltese-and-Poodle mix loves attention.

“It’s a soothing thing for him,” said Lassiter, 42, who has been working from home in her job for US Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Jennifer Adams of Ashburn, Va, said her therapy dog Skylos, a big male black Labrador, loves the attention he gets at in-person sessions. Skylos, who is 15, has been a therapy dog since he was about two. He also gets sleepy during Zooms.

She said she enjoys the virtual therapy sessions and the distraction of having “a few moments of quiet and not have to worry about everything that’s going on.”

Although the PAL programme is based in the Washington area, the virtual program has participants from outside the region. Heidi Guevin of Colchester, Vt, signed up her son after hearing about it from her sister, a former Washington-area resident.

In a recent Zoom, Nathan Guevin Burch, nine, sat in a rocking chair and read to Skylos from a graphic novel in the Big Nate series by Lincoln Peirce.

“You know, the word gullible isn’t in the dictionary!” Nathan read.

Guevin thought her son might grow bored with the virtual sessions, but that hasn’t happened. “Every week, he loves doing it,” said Guevin, 41. “He will drop whatever he’s doing if he is outside playing.”

Another kid reader, Pax Lukanic, nine, sat on a couch with his ear buds as he smiled and read The Terrible Two to a dog named Winnie. Pax has done several online sessions in recent weeks, and it fulfills his elementary school’s virtual homework assignment of reading 30 minutes a day.

Pax was reluctant to read after being online all day during quarantine – until he had the opportunity to “read to the doggies,” said his mom, Jennifer Logun.

“Then it became so easy and effortless,” said Logun, 48, who left her New York City home with her husband and their three kids during the pandemic and moved into her parents’ house in Bethesda.

“He’s excited to read to the dogs,” she said. “Thirty minutes go by in a flash, then homework gets done.”

As for Winnie, the six-year-old Maltese-Shih Tzu mix typically snoozes through the online sessions – but that is no different from the in-person sessions, and it is part of Winnie’s charm, said handler Margie Tommer, 57, of Bethesda.

“When we do it in the library, she sleeps the whole time. It’s hysterical,” Tommer said. “For the kids, it’s a calming effect. … They literally will sit there and pet her the whole time while they read.”

Hero Dog Awards

Meet Rek, a nine-year-old German Shepherd and former military working dog who is now living the retired life in Sarasota.

Rek is one of 21 semifinalists in the Hero Dog Awards, a competition hosted by the American Humane organization, where military, therapy and rescue dogs are honored for their service. Out of thousands of entries and votes received, Rek has now advanced and has a chance to win the title of “American Hero Dog.”

Founded in 1877, American Humane is the first humane organization in the country, protecting the rights and well-being of animals. This is the 10th annual Hero Dog Awards, where the public has cast votes for dogs in seven different categories, including Military, Therapy, Law Enforcement and more. Nearly half a million votes have been cast so far this year.

Beyond his adorable looks, Rek’s story of heroism and loyalty that have touched the hearts of voters. Rek was deployed as an explosive detection dog in Iraq and Afghanistan from 2011 to 2016, where he lived consecutively for five years. His current owner, Laura Cole, met Rek while deployed at a NATO base, and they formed a strong bond.

“I would feed him and bring him toys whenever I could,” says Cole. “I loved watching him work.”

Rek would sniff vehicles for drugs and explosive weapons before soldiers performed in-depth searches. His “rest days” were few and far between, yet he still enjoyed his toys as rewards and the love from his handlers, when he could.

“He still doesn’t know how to play like a normal dog,” says Cole. “But he has fun trying to play fetch, and enjoying the sunshine.”

Cole and Rek were separated from April to June of 2016, when Rek had retired and Cole was still deployed overseas. A generous U.S. nonprofit called K9 Hero Haven cared for Rek until the pair could reunite. Once Cole retired, she adopted Rek and they moved to Florida.

In 2018, Cole heard about the Hero Dog Awards through Facebook. “I know he’s my hero, so I thought why not enter him?” she recalls. Rek advanced to the semifinals last year, but never made it this far.

Cole and Rek plan to attend the Hero Dog Awards Gala in California if he advances again. The ceremony is broadcast nationwide on the Hallmark Channel.

“I just want to share his story,” says Cole. “It is not easy for these dogs when they return to the United States. It takes time to recover, and time to understand play and love.”

American Humane president and CEO Dr. Robin Ganzert says the awards are “the best way to bring attention to the life-changing, life-saving power of the human animal bond.”

In other words, they’re a way to honor our best friends.

News About ESAs

ESAs have been in the news quite a bit in recent years. Before we discuss what it’s all been about, let’s start with a definition. We’re talking about Emotional Support Animals. They are designed to help people struggling with a wide range of mental problems. It could be a man who has insomnia or an older person struggling with confidence issues. It could be a lady struggling with phobias and depression or an ex-soldier battling with PTSD.

When people have a designated ESA they no longer feel alone and not comforted at home, and are likely to sleep better as a result. Alternatively, they feel more confident when going outdoors and being around other people. The animals are usually domestic, such as cats and dogs, but can include other species too. They could be gerbils and hamsters, rodents, turtles, fish and rabbits.

In order to obtain formal documentation to show your entitlement to have an ESA, you need to consult an authorized mental health practitioner. There are many to be found online, according to the experts from Therapetic that some confidential screening tests are free. Many can be done by phone. People talk to a licensed professional and find out if they qualify for an ESA letter. If they do, it can be shipped out very quickly. You are not guaranteed one, of course, as it depends on your emotional state and whether you can build up a sufficiently good case. If you gain an ESA letter, it will be valid in all 50 states of America.

When someone has obtained legal permission to own an ESA and keeps the animal with them, there are two main times they will need to prove it: in matters related to housing and to travel. Other circumstances include visiting restaurants and hotels.

As regards housing there has been a lot of adverse publicity in the papers. Individuals with ESAs have complained they have been denied occupancy by potential landlords. The Fair Housing Act says you mustn’t be refused a tenancy on the basis of disability.

Landlords in turn have been angry. They want to look after their properties as they are their main asset. Many of them draft a no-pets policy as a result. When someone produces an ESA letter, however, they are unable to enforce that policy. The whole process related to ESAs and housing applications have been vague, so landlords have been rightly confused and frustrated.

In January 2020 The US Department Of Housing And Urban Development published new guidance advice for individuals and landlords. The latter has been banned from saying which breed of animal can or can’t be accepted or how much it must weigh.
Landlords have also been stopped from charging additional fees.

Sometimes, landlords dragged their heels on ESA tenancy applications, but now they have ten days to respond — and it has to be an active communication with the individual. Landlords were also accepting one type of letter, but not another, which caused a lot of distress for people. They now have to accept the ESA letter, no matter what format it appears in.

People with ESAs had also vocalized how they felt, being asked personal questions by potential landlords. Surely the ESA document was sufficient? Following the recent ruling, landlords are no longer allowed to probe further. These are just a few of the issues that have been in the newspapers and steered this new legislation. Another sticking point has been with transport. More and more ESAs have been traveling with passengers on airplanes and not being supervised. This has caused friction, both with other passengers and the cabin crew. Even other disabled people were complaining. The Department Of Transportation wanted to ban such animals under the health and safety umbrella. Yet again, the whole process of ESAs and transport has been vague. Travel authorities want a streamlined process for all airlines and locations. They are tired of passengers with more than two pets, or having animals that are bigger than the allocated foot space. The discussion will no doubt be ongoing, but a standard policy on pets and travel across the board will benefit everyone as it has been long overdue. It’s not just ESAs that we’re talking about here.

It is very easy to see how landlords could be frustrated with the previous procedures, and in turn, wants to accept a different tenant who does not own a pet or pets. It’s also easy to see how ESA owners felt discriminated against, and alone. The same thing goes with plane travel: It can’t be good for anyone when there’s lots of pets running around uncontrolled and uncontained. From the viewpoint of the person with emotional issues, the last thing you want are challenges when it comes to travel — you may feel anxious enough as it is being on a plane, without struggling to get a ticket or coping with your fellow passengers complaining. No doubt more legislation will be forthcoming, and both sides of the fence will have something to say. Ultimately, we want a world where people – whether fit and well or battling with mental illness — can live and travel in peace together.

Canine Moms

 

Shelby Mason beat out over 100 other contenders in the nationwide competition. She is an animal welfare advocate and pet parent to both a pomchi and a senior mastiff.

When Shelby Mason found herself chasing a runaway dog through the streets of Hilliard last summer, she had an epiphany.

“That’s when I realized I’m a crazy dog lady,” said Mason, 27, of Westerville, who was visiting her parents when she saw the dog bolt down the street.

She learned that the Great Dane belonged to a 12-year-old in the neighborhood and took it upon herself to help reunite them.

“I’d never done that in my life,” she said.

The boy’s family eventually located the dog.

Because of her commitment to dogs in the community, as well as her own two pooches, Timmy and Dinky, Mason was crowned “Dog Mom of the Year” by DOGTV in May.

The television network provides relaxation, stimulation and other types of programming for dogs. For two years, it has hosted the nationwide competition, which requires that participants submit a video about their passion for dogs.

“I was so surprised because there were a lot of other people who entered,” Mason said. “I felt so honored.” DOGTV narrowed more than 100 submissions down to 10, which were then judged by a panel of industry professionals. As the winner, Mason receives a free, one-year subscription to the network and a variety of gifts from pet-based companies.

“She is an ambassador for the year,” DOGTV General Manager Beke Lubeach said. “We like to tap into her wherever possible and get her views on things and give her the opportunity to talk to our audience about some of her initiatives.”

Mason is a wellness coordinator at Bark, which provides dog products and services via offices in New York and Columbus. She also advocates for animal welfare organizations.

Earlier this year, she organized a pup kissing booth, which benefited Grateful Acres Pet Sanctuary and Adoptions, and Speak for the Unspoken, a pet rescue for animals with special needs.

“The more experiences humans have with their pets bonding, the less likely they are to surrender them,” she said. “So I’ve been really passionate about creating these really fun ways for our employees and people in the community to bond with their dogs.”

“My mom would just bring dogs in the house and tell my dad, ‘Hey, we have a new dog today,’” Mason said.

One of those rescues was Timmy, the now-senior mastiff who joined the family when Mason was 18. But it was a bumpy transition; Timmy would run away and cry at night, Mason said.

“I didn’t like him (at first),” she admitted. “And then we spent the summer together. … We became best friends.”

After college, Mason adopted her now-4-year-old pomchi, Dinky, who is an emotional support animal.

“I got him registered right before the pandemic started,” Mason said. “It’s just been so good for my mental health.”

Mason has helped people cope with the death of their pets by starting a pup loss program at Bark. She is also pursuing a master’s degree in social work, which will help with her advocacy.

“I hope to do my internship in veterinary social work so I can keep being there for parents when they need it the most,” she said.

Mason also wants to be an example for others; she spent much of her DOGTV video encouraging other pet parents to volunteer, look for missing dogs or simply advocate for them to sit on patios in public places.

“As a dog mom, we really have a lot of power,” she said.