Dogs with Wings Assistance Dog Society looking for volunteers to raise puppies
Dogs with Wings, an organization that trains and provides service and assistance dogs, is looking for volunteers to raise puppies in Grande Prairie.
Dogs with Wings provides assistance dogs around Alberta, and is based out of Edmonton. They have satellite operations in Grande Prairie and Calgary. They have been operating in Grande Prairie for about five years.
Dayna Fox Volunteer Coordinator with Dogs with Wings, says the puppies would be eight weeks old when people will receive them.
“From there, they have the puppy until 14 to 16 months, in which time the puppy goes into the adult program, and we only do the adult program here in Edmonton, it’s advanced training, and their biggest job is just to have that puppy in their home, love that puppy, care for that puppy, and everywhere they go, the puppy goes.”
Dogs with Wings has several categories of service dogs, including companion dogs, autism service dogs, service dogs, guide dogs and facility dogs. Fox says they currently have two service dogs working in Grande Prairie, and they are expecting about four litters of puppies, and want to send some to the Swan City.
She says there are certain qualifications for raising the puppies, including have no more than two dogs already, and if they do have children, they must be at least four years old.
Fox adds that they provide the food and veterinary services, and the puppies have access to a trainer in Grande Prairie.
“It’s incredibly rewarding to watch the puppies gain their wings and go work with clients,” said Fox. “Of course, it’s difficult too because this dogs been part of your life for a year plus, and then you say goodbye and watch it go on its way, I’d say (it’s) more rewarding than sad.”
More information on the criteria and how to sign up can be found at the Dogs with Wings
PU Researcher: Dogs Help Us Cope with Social Isolation
WEST LAFAYETTE – As COVID-19 prevents social interaction of the human sort, a Purdue University researcher says companion animals are playing an important role in reducing stress and anxiety. While pet owners may be experiencing a heightened sense of support from Fido, Associate Professor of Human-Animal Interaction Dr. Maggie O’Haire has sniffed out the science behind this feeling of well-being humans can gain from their pets while we’re socially isolated.
“Pets can actually be a unique source of social support during stressful situations; studies have found that people perceive their pets friends as distinctive sources of social support and rate them at similar levels as significant others, family and friends,” says O’Haire. “People who have service dogs, for example, have measurably better social and emotional health; the companionship that animals can provide is something that we can measure scientifically.”
O’Haire co-led a study in 2018 at the Center for the Human-Animal Bond in Purdue’s College of Veterinary Medicine that examined how service dogs impacted their handlers, who have physical disabilities. The study revealed that people with a service dog had better overall psychological and social functioning.
The study’s co-leader says people with physical disabilities experience social isolation, so relating the positive impact the dog handlers’ experienced to the feel-good emotions of dog owners during social isolation is a valid scientific leap.
“People are always interested in how we measure this biologically or physiologically. It has a lot to do with how animals can help with stress and anxiety,” says O’Haire. “If an animal is present in stressful situations, people show what we might call a muted stress response, so they’re having a lower heartrate or blood pressure, or their cortisol levels—which is a stress hormone—are lower when the animal is there.”
Through various research projects, the Center for the Human-Animal Bond has generated scientific data that’s critical to support the use of service dogs. O’Haire’s lab, in particular, focuses on special populations, such as veterans with PTSD and children with autism.
“We need research for those special populations, because it takes science to allow those things to happen,” says O’Haire. “For example, in hospitals, they don’t just let anyone through the doors; they have to make decisions based on science, and if you can’t scientifically demonstrate that a dog needs to be in a hospital, he’s not going to be allowed in. The same goes for the service animals.”
Dogs’ impact on owners’ psyches during social isolation may lack scientific evidence yet, but there is some social evidence that we’re leaning on our pets during this unprecedented time of social isolation. Indy Humane, for example, says there has been an outpouring of support for its foster program; when the animal shelter issued a plea in response to COVID-19 to find shelter animals temporary homes, more than 200 new families signed up to foster pets.
“There’s something we see in science about physical contact with an animal; petting your animal and having that mindful moment where you’re in the present and have a physical stress relief can be so important in times of stress,” says O’Haire. “Right now while people are feeling isolated, one of the best ways to take advantage of the situation if you do have a companion animal is to cherish that and be mindful about it. Take your dog for a walk, pet your cat, watch the silly things they do and let that bring some joy and humor to your life. I think if we’re mindful about this time, we can create a space that’s really quite positive for the animal and for us.”
O’Haire suspects this unprecedented time in our history will likely inspire researchers to fetch some answers about why our dogs deliver warm, fuzzy feelings when we can’t turn to humans.
“This is definitely creating a space for many researchers to ask new questions about how companion animals can affect stress during big [events] in our world,” says O’Haire. “As we begin to see how animals create a space in the home that might provide support, companionship and joy, as a scientist, we’re going to want to understand that and ask more questions.”
Non-profit service dog foundation must pause services at a time when they are needed most
The Independence Service Dogs Foundation, an Orange County non-profit organization, helps facilitate service dog training. But due to the COVID-19 pandemic, they have paused many of their services at a time when they are needed most.
Co-founders Justine Puliafico and Nikki Esser created the foundation in 2018 to supply well-screened and properly trained therapy dogs to assist military veterans, victims of domestic abuse and disabled individuals, among others.
However, due to social distancing orders, they are unable to offer their usual therapy services at the Ronald McDonald House, the Angels Stadium or local schools. This includes a comfort canine program where young kids who are struggling to read can read to therapy dogs.
“People are out of their routines, which is hard. People aren’t able to go to their therapy, so the dogs there are a big major help as far as lowering the stress,” Esser said.
Esser hopes to lift people’s spirits by walking therapy dogs around her neighborhood and allowing them to comfort people in their homes using a long leash.
Esser has worked with veterans and people with disabilities for twenty years, giving her the experience and passion to join Puliafico in creating the Independence Service Dogs Foundation. She said it’s a great opportunity to help people regain their independence.
Esser is the head dog trainer and Puliafico handles the administrative aspects of the foundation. Esser also works at OC Service Dogs, a company that trains service and therapy dogs. Both Esser and Puliafico also teach basic obedience to other dogs.
Puliafico won her dog, Wally, at a charity event, and he came with a lifetime of training. When she and Wally attended training she met Esser who suggested she train Wally to be a therapy dog.
“At the time, I knew what service dogs were just from seeing seeing-eye dogs because they’re obvious. I didn’t really understand all the intricate parts and ways that a dog can help a person with independence,” Puliafico said.
Wally is now a certified therapy dog who assists patients and their families at Choc Hospital by lowering their stress levels before they go into surgery. Puliafico said that petting a dog just a few times can reduce stress levels.
Puliafico said that as of now, the foundation has two dogs who have graduated, and a third dog who is still in training. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of time and money to train service dogs, making it incredibly difficult to provide service dogs to those who need them.
Esser said that it takes about two years of training, averaging around at least 15,000 hours.
“Typically, a service dog costs between $30,000 and $35,000. And if you’re just struggling to get out of bed, the chances of you having that extra income to allow yourself to get that type of dog is probably not good,” Puliafisco said.
In addition to training dogs, Esser and Puliafico make an effort to fundraise. Puliafico said that the need for service dogs reaches further than their ability to help every single person.
Service dogs assist in activities such as opening doors, retrieving items and turning lights on and off, said Brianne Hosford, Independence Service Dogs Foundation’s public relations specialist. Hosford said that because of the time and cost, 70% of disabled individuals who need service dogs cannot afford them.
By working with Esser for over a decade, Puliafico saw the value of her work at OC Service Dogs and wanted to give those who are unable to fund a service dog the opportunity they deserve. She also admired Esser’s effort in not only training the dogs, but also building a bond between a person and their service dog.
“I love seeing the connections between the human and the dog and just seeing how it can make such a difference in anyone’s life,” Esser said. “Just that bond — it’s really amazing.”
Blount County boy dies from rare genetic condition
Lucas Lee Hembree, a Blount County boy who suffered from a rare genetic condition, has passed away at the age of 13.
Lucas was diagnosed with Sanfilippo Syndrome, a progressive condition ultimately that robbed him of his mobility, speech, hearing and neurological functions.
He also suffered from breathing issues due to damage in his lungs from a bout with pneumonia in 2019. At the end of his life on Tuesday, Lucas was under hospice care, which included medications to manage his pain.
When Lucas was originally diagnosed at age 2, doctors told his parents, Chester and Jennifer, that he would have a shortened life span because most children with Sanfilippo Syndrome live only 14 or 15 years at most. Often children with the condition are left in a vegetative state by age 7 or 8.
Lucas has been featured in many Daily Times articles over the years, some of which mentioned his service dog, Juno. The Hembree family rescued Juno, a Belgian Malinois, from an animal shelter in Johnson City, hours before she was scheduled to be euthanized.
Unfortunately, Juno passed away unexpectedly in December 2019 at the estimated age of 14. The family had Juno cremated and plan to lay her to rest with Lucas.
Lucas’ journey brought awareness to Sanfilippo Syndrome through social media at the Facebook page Lucas Hembree “Prayers for Lucas.” He also gained a significant following online. For his 13th birthday on March 2, 2020, Lucas received more than 14,000 birthday cards in the mail from Facebook followers, as well as the local community.
The funeral services for Hembree will be held at 7 p.m. Friday, May 1, at Memorial Funeral Home, 1102 Big Springs Road, Maryville.
The family will receive friends from 4-7 p.m. that day. A graveside service will be held at 1 p.m. on May 2 at Brantley’s Chapel Primitive Baptist Church, McCall Road, Maryville.
The family invites the public to line the street on East Broadway Avenue, starting at the Maryville Municipal Building and going to the East Lincoln Road turnoff in Alcoa, starting at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, May 2.
The family requests that participants wear or display something purple in honor of Lucas.
The funeral service will be livestreamed on Facebook (facebook.com/prayingforlucas) for those who cannot make it to the funeral home.
The shadow family violence pandemic – and the link to animal abuse
Analysis – Covid-19 presents additional risks to already-vulnerable people and to their pets, which may be the only source of trusted companionship and love in an abusive relationship.
Evidence shows domestic violence increases during and after economic crises and pandemics. There is increasing anecdotal evidence that while government-imposed lockdowns are helping to contain Covid-19, a “shadow pandemic” is proliferating.
Animals do not feature in recent reports of escalating domestic violence worldwide, despite frequently being victims of violence themselves. Companion animals provide vital emotional support and may be the only source of trusted companionship and love in an abusive relationship.
With half the world’s population currently under some form of lockdown, Covid-19 presents additional risks to already-vulnerable humans and animals.
Physical distancing measures increase social isolation and victims may struggle to access support or get respite from violence outside of the home.
Lockdowns provide unique ways for abusers to exert control over victims, including withholding medical assistance or financial resources, and restricting access to food or essential sanitary items. There are even reports of abusers withholding soap or showers, and forbidding handwashing.
Statistics released by the New Zealand police showed a 20 percent spike in domestic violence cases on the first Sunday after the country entered level 4 lockdown. Women’s Refuge has reported increased demand in more than 60 percent of its shelters. Services for men who fear they might commit abuse have also received increased calls during the lockdown.
In Australia, 40 percent of frontline workers in a New South Wales survey reported increased requests for help with violence, while 70 percent reported an increase in the complexity of cases.
The UK, US, China, France, Spain, Singapore, Indonesia, Cyprus, and Brazil have similarly experienced dramatic increases in domestic violence during lockdowns.
‘The Link’ – pets in the context of domestic violence
The Link between domestic violence and animal abuse is well established. An Australian study found 53 percent of women entering a shelter reported their pets had also been harmed. In Canada, a study revealed animal maltreatment was present in as many as 89 percent of domestic violence cases. Research indicates there is an increased risk of severe or fatal injury where domestic violence and animal abuse co-occur in a household. Abusers use animals as a tool of abuse. Acts of violence towards animals are commonly inflicted in the presence of human victims to control, punish, or intimidate.
Many women delay or refuse to leave an abusive relationship due to fears for the safety of animals left with the abuser and because most shelters cannot accommodate animals. A New Zealand survey of women whose pets were abused as part of domestic violence revealed that 53 percent delayed leaving a violent relationship out of fear for their pet’s safety and 73 percent would have found it easier to leave if there was a shelter offering temporary accommodation for their pets.
Given the high rates of companion animal ownership worldwide, we can be confident that many non-human victims of violence are suffering silently alongside their human companions.
Increased burden on human and animal welfare services
Before Covid-19, many human and animal welfare services were already struggling under increasing workloads and insufficient resources. The pandemic has amplified these challenges.
Frontline support services have been reduced because of social distancing measures. Increased demand for services, coupled with negative impacts of the pandemic may further compromise the safety and well-being of those in abusive relationships.
Animal protection agencies are facing similar challenges. The SPCA estimates it will suffer a $1 million shortfall due its inability to fundraise during the lockdown. As the only non-government agency in New Zealand with the statutory mandate to prosecute animal cruelty offences, this loss of revenue poses a real risk to the animals the charity works to protect.
A global and community response
Earlier this month, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged governments to address the “horrifying surge in domestic violence.”
UN Women has called for innovative responses. In France, women visit pop-up counselling centres in malls and women in Spain use the code word “Mask-19” at pharmacies to alert pharmacists they are at risk of harm.
Women’s Refuge is considering adding a live chat function to their shielded website, where women can report abuse without the site appearing in their browsing history.
As animal abuse is often part of domestic violence, advocates have called for similarly creative responses and increased community collaboration to ensure human and animal victims receive the protection they need. Increased pressure on resources and barriers to providing support mean that domestic violence and animal protection services must work together – more so than ever before.
Police, domestic violence helplines and shelters should ask those accessing their services about companion animals in the home and be alert to signs of animal abuse. Likewise, veterinarians and animal protection agencies may be well-positioned to uncover domestic violence. Essential workers – still moving relatively freely during lockdowns – may also be in a position to detect and report abuse to appropriate authorities.
Victims remain in violent situations due to a lack of viable alternatives for their pets, so agencies must help establish escape plans that include animals.
The current crisis highlights just how welcome initiatives such as Pet Refuge will be as New Zealand’s first shelter dedicated to temporarily housing pets affected by domestic violence.
It is too early to predict whether the trend of escalating domestic violence will continue. Amid widespread speculation about when countries will emerge from lockdowns and how the world will look when we eventually return to ‘normal’ life, uncertainty is the only certainty. Covid-19 has highlighted how interconnected we all are. Not only in our own neighbourhoods and cities, but globally. Not only to other humans, but also to animals. If we take one positive from this experience, let it be cognisance of the impact of our actions on others.
The messaging from our government has emphasised the importance of individual behaviour in helping curb Covid-19. Just as each of us play a role in protecting others from Covid-19, we all have an integral role to play in exposing and protecting others from violence.
The New Zealand government and our “whanau of five million” have so far done a remarkable job of “flattening the curve.” Let us not undermine those efforts by failing the most vulnerable human and non-human members of our whanau.
Top Dogs: Meet MSK’s Four-Legged Volunteers
Editor’s note: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Memorial Sloan Kettering’s Caring Canines therapy dog program is largely on hold. However, we are providing limited opportunities for virtual visits with our playful pups during this time. Current MSK inpatients and outpatients can email volunteer resources@mskcc.org to request a visit.
Wagging tails. Wet noses. Soft, warm bellies. It’s not surprising that getting a visit from a therapy dog while receiving cancer treatment boosts the spirits. But these visitors do more than put smiles on the faces of people with cancer — they may actually help some people heal.
“Getting up and moving around after surgery is important to the recovery process, but it’s hard for many people to do,” says Jane Kopelman, who runs the Caring Canines therapy dog program at Memorial Sloan Kettering. Sometimes all it takes is a nudge from a four-legged friend. “I see patients who are willing to get out of bed, and even take a walk down the hallway, just so they can spend more time with one of the dogs,” she says.
Making the Rounds
Over the past 12 years, MSK’s Caring Canines have become a fixture in almost every area of patient care. The program started on a single floor with seven dogs. Now, about 50 therapy dogs and their handlers, who are all volunteers, make the rounds throughout MSK. Both handlers and pups sport identification badges so that passersby know that they are the real deal.
In addition to visiting inpatients, therapy dogs also make regular visits to MSK’s outpatient locations, including its regional sites. When MSK’s newest facility, the David H. Koch Center for Cancer Care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, opened to patients in January 2020, the Caring Canines were there.
Ms. Kopelman and her mixed-breed dog, Wally, were one of the first volunteer pairs to come to MSK when the Caring Canines program launched in 2007. She quickly realized she wanted to get more involved, and she officially became the Caring Canines consultant in 2014. “It was clear that the program was going to grow a lot, and they needed someone to safely run it,” she says.
Safety is important, especially because many people being treated for cancer have compromised immune systems. Therapy dogs need a host of vaccines and frequent health screenings. They also get bathed and groomed right before visiting MSK. To make sure they don’t tire out, there are limits on how many hours the dogs can work in each shift.
Furry Motivators
In addition to their work as cheer bringers, some of MSK’s Caring Canines have taken part in published research. This got them one step closer to earning their white lab coats — and maybe eventually, their PhD(og)s.
In April 2018, a team led by Pamela Ginex, who was then a nurse researcher at MSK, published a study in the Clinical Journal of Oncology Nursing (CJON) that looked at the benefits of therapy dogs for people recovering from surgery on the 15th floor of Memorial Hospital. At the time, Caring Canines were not yet visiting this floor. People who’d had surgery, as well as their family members and the nursing staff, completed questionnaires on their levels of stress and sense of well-being before and after the visits. This was the first-ever published study to also look at whether therapy dogs can improve job satisfaction for hospital staff in an inpatient setting.
“We had many patients who were having a hard time getting out of bed after having abdominal surgery,” says MSK nurse practitioner Mary Montefusco, who was a co-author on the CJON study. “But when they heard the dogs were on the way, they wanted to get up and sit in a chair so it would be easier to pet them.”
The improvement seen in people who received visits from the dogs was not statistically significant when compared with those who didn’t get visits. (Studies done at other hospitals have shown stronger gains.) The MSK researchers believe this was the case because people progressively feel better as they recover from surgery — whether they get visits from therapy dogs or not.
Anecdotally, however, the sessions were a huge success, not only for the people with cancer but also for their family members and even for staff. “It always brightens my day when I see one of the dogs,” Ms. Montefusco says.
Since the research was published, the Caring Canines have continued visiting the 15th floor and have expanded into more inpatient areas of the hospital. Most recently they’ve started working on the 18th floor, where people recover from surgery for lung cancer. People who are receiving blood and marrow stem cell transplants can now have pooch meet-and-greets, if their immune systems are strong enough. The dogs have started visiting MSK Kids patients as well, meeting up in a play area rather than patients’ rooms to avoid disruptions.
It’s a “Ruff” Job
It takes a rare breed to make it through the rigorous training process that qualifies a dog to work in a medical setting. Not literally, though. Ms. Kopelman says that any dog is capable of becoming a therapy dog, from the tiniest Chihuahua to some really big woofers. The traits required are more about an individual dog’s personality and temperament. “You need a dog that can roll with anything,” she says. “You don’t want them to get flustered and start barking.”
Their handlers also need to complete rigorous training. They are sometimes brought into situations that are emotionally difficult, such as visiting people who are receiving intensive care or those who are at the end of life. “The dog handlers are a vital part of the team,” Ms. Kopelman says.
“Currently, the demand for therapy dogs is much higher than the supply,” Ms. Kopelman concludes. “We would love to have more dogs and volunteers. The most common thing we hear from patients when we arrive at their bedside with a dog is ‘I’ve been waiting all day for this visit.’ ”
JRCF continues dog training program
Golden retrievers Molly and Perry and black Labrador retriever Jersey, new additions to the Joint Regional Correctional Facility’s Dog Handler (Canine Assistance Rehabilitation Education and Services) Program, wait in the back of a CARES van April 21 in the Visitor Control Center parking lot. Three dogs ready to transition from the JRCF program to the next phase in their training to become service dogs were exchanged for three new CARES dogs ready to begin their phase in the JRCF program during a meeting with the CARES program founder April 21. CARES is based in Concordia, Kan., and has several prisons that participate in the training program. Photo by Prudence Siebert/Fort Leavenworth Lamp.
In June 2019, the Joint Regional Correctional Facility began the Dog Handler CARES Program, which allows inmates to train young dogs in basic obedience skills before the dogs go on to more specialized training to become service dogs.
Since then, not only have the very first program dogs labradoodle Jericho and yellow Labrador retriever Vizer — graduated from the JRCF program and gone on to receive more specialized training and be assigned to an owner, but now 12 others have, too.
Facility personnel met up with Canine Assistance Rehabilitation Education and Services founder and CEO Sarah Holbert April 21 outside the Visitor Control Center to transfer yellow Labrador retriever Mallory, golden retriever Copper and black Labrador retriever Mutsu into their next phase of training.
In exchange, three new dogs — golden retrievers Molly and Perry, and black Labrador retriever Jersey — will join the other five dogs still being trained at the facility.
When the dogs arrive at the JRCF they range from 8 weeks to several months old, which wasn’t the case in the beginning when only older dogs entered the JRCF program, but Sgt. Christopher Samson, Dog Handlers CARES Program noncommissioned officer-in-charge, said adding puppies into the program has gone well, and the program has only continued to expand.
“We definitely had to figure out some logistical issues at first, but we … figured out the issues we were going to have and got it all smoothed out,” Samson said. “Now we’ve actually expanded more. Before dogs were only on our agriculture program, and since then we’ve moved on to having one dog in our library detail and one more dog is in our textiles program. Slowly we’re starting to spread them out, so they can be all throughout on different vocational programs throughout the facility.”
The facility is also taking on dogs that have completed their basic training at other facilities and are waiting to move on to their next phase of training.
Samson said more expansion is expected in the future with an increase from eight dogs to 12, which will allow more inmates to participate in the program because each dog has one handler and one alternate.
Holbert calls it a win-win situation.
“It gives the inmates a purpose and they will tell you by far it is one of the best jobs in the facility,” Holbert said. “I have several guys that have been in it for years that have told me that it has affected the way that they parent, the way that they interact with their wives or significant others because they learn correction and praise, they learn communication skills and nurturing that maybe they didn’t have before.
“For us, we have puppies or dogs that go in and they are with their person 24-7. They get the basics down and that is just critical because what dogs learn in the first 16 weeks of their life stays with them, and that’s the foundation for their life,” she said. “If you have a dog that’s in a kennel until they’re six months old, you’ve lost a very valuable window of time to work with them and imprint on them, and these dogs as working dogs, that’s how they’re life is going to be. It is going to be 24-7 with their person, so that part of it is really important, and it gives us a great start.”
The JRCF is one of seven facilities in the United States that CARES partners with for the basic training of service dogs. Services the dogs are trained for upon learning the basics include mobility service; medic alert for conditions such as diabetes and seizures; therapeutic service for conditions such as autism and post-traumatic stress disorder; and professional therapy where the dogs work alongside doctors, counselors and other professionals, Holbert said.
Vizer has been placed with an 11-year-old boy with type 1 diabetes, and Jericho will be placed with an 18-year-old boy who also has type 1 diabetes.
Appeals Court Dismisses Case Over Satanist’s Emotional Support Pig “Boarphomet”
Back in 2018, Satanist Kenneth Mayle filed a lawsuit against the City of Chicago (and Cook County Animal Control and then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions and the Illinois Department of Natural Resources and the Chicago Park Districts) saying that everyone had discriminated against him in part because his guinea hog named Chief Wiggum (a.k.a. “Boarphomet”) wasn’t designated an Emotional Support Animal, which meant it couldn’t be around in certain public places.
Since adopting Chief Wiggum as a piglet[,] plaintiff has raised him to perform tasks of a service animal, provide emotional support, and has included him in his religious practices.
… Chief Wiggum provides Plaintiff massage therapy on his hands and other body areas helping reduce the effect including anxiety and depression.
…
The biking and display of Chief Wiggum other [sic] things to symbolize the coming of the black horseman of the apocalypse and the eternal battle between Horus and Set; both depict having Satanic rituals.
…
Plaintiff [has] repeatedly been denied the right to bring Chief Wiggum to places of public accommodation… The only reason that defendants treat a pig such as Chief Wiggum differently than other SAs and ESAs like “miniature” horses or cats or ferrets is because of the stigma that pigs are dirty or evil.
Specifically, Mayle said he was ridiculed off of a public beach even though Chicago allowed dog owners a “discriminatory entitlement.” (While dogs could go in Lake Michigan on those beaches, Chief Wiggum could not. “He is… not even allowed to be on the beach or designated bathing areas.”) Similar episodes occurred in Millennium Park (where “The Bean” is located) and Grant Park.
He said there was no reason to kick the pig off the beach because the “presence of one pig in the water certainly does not change the water suitability for humans or dogs.” Mayle also tried to obtain a “dog-friendly area” tag for his animal… but, because it’s not literally a dog, he couldn’t obtain the proper permit.
He had also been kicked out of Six Flags Great America theme park because, while the park allowed for emotional support animals, Boarphomet didn’t qualify under their terms. Ditto with Lyft and Uber and various stores and restaurants.
Mayle said Boarphomet was a “service animal under the [Americans with Disabilities Act],” meeting all the requirements. He should be treated, Mayle said, like a miniature horse. The Department of Justice, however, says “only dogs can be service animals.” That was too restrictive for Mayle. And because he also had religious reasons for keeping the pig around, it would be burdensome to require him to get another animal for the purposes of the ADA.
A District Court dismissed the case, saying Mayle didn’t “state a claim under the ADA,” adding that the implied no-hogs-allowed rule for service animals was “rational.” Mayle appealed the decision.
Now the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has weighed in…saying the same thing.
Mayle’s challenge is fatally flawed. We will sustain regulations that, like this one, do not involve a fundamental right or a suspect class so long as they are rational.
…
Mayle’s complaint reveals the rationality of limiting the species of service animals in public spaces. He describes disorder (harassment from those who object to his hog) and disruption (police called to the scene) when he enters public places with his hog. The government has a legitimate interest in maintaining social order and public safety… Accordingly, the regulation is constitutional.
Can’t say this wasn’t entirely predictable. His religion was also irrelevant to the judges in coming to their decision. Mayle didn’t respond to a request for further comment.
This is actually his second legal loss in a week. He recently had another case dismissed in which he said his Satanism prescribed “sex magick rituals” that involved bigamy and violated the state’s adultery laws. He has also lost a challenge take “In God We Trust” off the money.
At least Boarphomet will help him deal with the losses.
Therapy Dogs Surprise Hospitalized Mom With Social-Distanced Visit
During the COVID-19 quarantine, one of the hardest parts is not being able to visit loved ones in the hospital. Restrictions prevent family and friends from visiting for the health and safety of everyone. For the people who are there for longer periods of time, it’s extremely difficult not to see anyone in person.
For Joanna Hehir from Texas, the hardest part was not seeing her dogs though. Her two Great Pyrenees, George and Fiona, are a huge part of her life. So, she wanted to see her sweet pups more than anything.
Joanna had been at the hospital recovering from a stomach ulcer for weeks. She was able to see her family and her dogs just before the lockdown started, but they hadn’t been able to visit since. As a devoted dog mom, Joanna couldn’t stand being away from her four-legged family members.
Joanna’s husband, John, could see how difficult the situation was for both Joanna and the dogs. He wanted to find a way to bring the dogs to her safely, but it seemed nearly impossible. Then, he came up with a genius idea.
A Special Visit
At first, John just planned to bring the dogs to the parking lot so Joanna could see them from her window. However, the nurse had a better idea. She suggested that they stand outside the lobby window.
When John, his son, and the two dogs came to visit, the nurse gladly skipped her lunch break so she could bring Joanna to the lobby. She brought Joanna’s wheelchair right up to the window, so all that was between her and her dogs was the glass. When George and Fiona saw their mom, they were ecstatic.While Joanna couldn’t hug her human family members or pet her furry ones, this was just as exciting for her. George and Fiona recognized her right away, and they began licking and pawing at the glass in excitement as Joanna extended her hand to them. The poor pups were unsure why they couldn’t cuddle with their mom, but they were happy to see she was okay.
“I can’t thank the nurses enough. I haven’t seen Joanna smile that big in so long,” said John. “I know they’re taking amazing care of her but just to see her doing well and to see her smiling was a relief like I can’t explain.”
Joanna still has to stay in the hospital for a while as she heals, but seeing her dogs helped lift her spirits. This entire situation has been difficult for her whole family, but John thinks that it will help them appreciate moments together more in the future. Hopefully, more people will share this positive outlook once this is all over.
How some local shop mascots are adjusting during pandemic
CAMDEN/ROCKPORT/ROCKLAND – Shop animals do not receive regular paychecks, although many may consider them staff and members of the business community. They are usually at their offices daily and have loyal customers who combine supporting businesses along with getting their “regular animal fixes” at the same time.
They provide unconditional love, companionship, make people happy, lower stress, and even blood pressure levels with their affections.
If shop animals could take the Myers Briggs personality test to determine how they perceive their worlds, chances are their scores would include “E” for extroversion, “S” or “I” for sensing and intuition, and a “F” for feeling.
But with the restrictions associated COVID-19, which has affected small business in a variety of ways, the routines of these special animals have also changed.
In Camden, Stacey Warner, owner of Warner Graphics, and who has a “shop cat,” James, was required to close her business to the public at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. She is now working from her home.
After Warner locked the front door at her shop, she put James in his travel carrier and took him home with her.
James, has been the official “shop cat” at Warner Graphics since November 2016, when he took over the reins of the original feline “customer service manager,” Dennis, after he died of cancer a few months prior.
James is a handsome orange cat who is also “polydactyl,” meaning he was born with more that the usual number of toes on his paws which makes them bigger.
James has been sequestered in a spare bedroom at his mom’s house since late March, where he has to stay during the quarantine to keep his distance from Harry, another one of Warner’s rescue cats.
Warner said Harry’s philosophy about feline interactions is that “defense is the best offense,” so they are not spending time together, especially since James is also a newcomer at the house.
How is James adjusting to being away from his office and fan base?
“James is very outgoing and loves his public,” Warner said. “He literally went wild one night. Just us and one small room is not his choice. This is not his public.”
She added that he’s also getting pretty annoyed about his quarantine situation, even though she has been working in the bedroom room to keep him company.
There is no doubt James will be thrilled when he can return to his wrap around counter at the shop, the spot where he conducts his business, or snuggle inside an empty box lying around for an afternoon siesta.
On Route 1 in Rockport, Jeff Hall, owner of Jeff’s Vacuum, has remained open, but is only conducting curbside service in the parking lot.
Hall has two official greeters at his shop, Max and Tucker, who are father and son golden retrievers.
“It’s all about dogs at Jeff’s Vacuum,” according to Hall.
In the days before COVID-19, Max and Tucker were often spread out or standing by the front door eagerly waiting for the next customer to enter the store.
He said that his boys are “just not happy” about the way he is doing business right now since they have to remain inside.
“They are not getting their regular loving and are unhappy boys,” Hall said.
“Max and Tucker are people pups. Both the dogs and my customers are missing their daily fixes of affection,” he added.
One of Hall’s regular customers summed up Max and Tucker’s situation perfectly by saying, “they don’t understand why people aren’t visiting or petting them.”
Hall did admit that the boys have “busted out” out the door a few times to visit with customers.
Many of his customers are still spoiling the boys by dropping off treats and toys. Hopefully, soon they will be able to deliver their gifts in person.
At Long Funeral Home in Camden, co-owner Julie Clement along with her business partner John Long, shared how her therapy dogs, Bentley and Bailey, both schnauzers, are helping to ease the stress during COVID-19.
Normally the dogs would be at the front door greeting families who arrived for appointments at the funeral home, but Clement said “that they have not been seeing families as we normally would the past few months.”
Farewell gatherings and funerals are currently not being held and are delayed due to the virus.
“Funeral home professionals are doing their very best to make sure that both individuals and their families are being comforted at this time of need within the restrictions and guidelines they are forced to comply with,” Clement said. “It’s not as easy as it sounds.”
For now, Bentley and Bailey have been mainly focused on providing comfort for the staff at the funeral home. Bentley is seven years old and Bailey, who is over 15, is now experiencing multiple health issues so his routine is at a slower pace.
Clement said that Bentley is like a kid. He is full of energy and love, spreads his toys all over the office and does not always want to stay inside his gate in the office.
“The dogs do a lot for the staff. They help us stay focused, make us laugh, and provide a much-needed break like taking a walk in the fresh air during the day,” Clement said.
During these challenging times, the lyrics from the Beetles song, “With a Little Help From My Friends,” may also describe these human and animal bonds.
“How do I feel by the end of the day? Are you sad because you’re on your own? No, I get by with a little help from my friends,” the Beetles sang.
