Dog-At-Work
Later this month, a federal jury will be asked to decide if a Benton man is entitled to take his dog to work with him.
Perry Hopman, 45, isn’t just a dog lover who would like his pet’s companionship. He’s an Army veteran and a former flight medic who, after an 18-month deployment to Iraq, was diagnosed in 2008 with post-traumatic stress disorder. He’s also a survivor of a subsequent traumatic brain injury that occurred during a 2010 deployment to Kosovo with the National Guard, worsening his PTSD.
And the dog, a Rottweiler named Atlas, isn’t just a house pet. He’s a trained service dog who can sense Hopman’s anxiety levels and “ground” him by sitting on his feet, as a weighted blanket can calm an autistic child. He can remind Hopman to take his medicine, keep crowds away, block anyone approaching from behind, notify his master when a migraine is coming, find the closest exit in a building, pick up and retrieve items, wake Hopman from nightmares and even force him out of the house when he is being too reclusive.
Hopman says he was up-front about his PTSD diagnosis when he started working at Union Pacific’s North Little Rock station in May 2008, though he didn’t need or ask for any special accommodations.
Even after a five-year absence from his conductor job that began with his deployment to Kosovo, where he suffered the brain injury, Hopman didn’t initially request any special accommodations upon his return. That was in May of 2015, when he also medically retired from the Army National Guard.
But nearly a year later, his worsening struggles with PTSD prompted him to seek permission to bring Atlas, whom he had adopted a year earlier as a pup, to work with him as a service dog.
Although Hopman was able to safely perform all functions of his job without Atlas at his side, he argued that the dog would help him be more comfortable physically and mentally. His request was presented as a “reasonable accommodation” for his disability, “so that he may have equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by his co-workers without disabilities.”
RAILROAD’S CASE
Hopman worked aboard trains traveling from Little Rock to Monroe, La., and back, sometimes requiring him to be away overnight. He is now an engineer who travels overnight to and from Van Buren in Crawford County.
He told his bosses that his medical team had recommended he get a service dog to mitigate his flashbacks, anxiety and migraine headaches.
But Union Pacific denied the request, saying it was unclear how a dog would react to dangerous conditions at the rail-yard such as moving cars and locomotives; that there was no infrastructure to support a dog on a train or on overnight trips that Hopman’s conductor job sometimes required; and that the dog could pose a risk to other employees.
At the time, Atlas hadn’t completed his 18-month service dog training. But after the training was completed in April 2017, Hopman again sought permission to bring Atlas to work with him. This time, he cited the dog’s training that was designed, among other things, to keep him focused on his service duties in varied environments, and even to go without a potty break for 14 hours, if necessary.
But the railroad still refused the request. Hopman said Friday that “it’s hard to say why, because we can’t really get a straight answer.”
SUIT FILED
So on Jan. 26, 2018, Hopman filed a federal lawsuit alleging that by refusing his request for a disability accommodation, the railroad was subjecting him to disability discrimination, in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act.
In late May, U.S. District Judge Kristine Baker denied Union Pacific’s request for summary judgment, saying disputed facts about the railroad’s assertions that Hopman’s request wasn’t necessary or reasonable must be decided by a jury. The trial is scheduled to begin Sept. 28 in her Little Rock courtroom.
Hopman calls Atlas “an absolute loverboy who is the biggest, most happiest dog you will ever find, who loves everybody and everything,” and says no other employees, to his knowledge, have complained about the 125-pound dog or spoken about being afraid of him. He said that when Atlas isn’t with him, he is home with Hopman’s wife and children, but they don’t interact with him like Hopman does.
“He’s my dog, there’s no doubt,” Hopman said. “He works for me; he’s my employee.”
Hopman said that when he is home, Atlas will hang out with the entire family, including its two cats, but otherwise he stays mostly in a room by himself to minimize interaction with other people, which is part of his service-dog protocol.
Hopman concedes that he can perform the essential functions of his job whether Atlas is with him or not. But he says that by accommodating his request, the railroad would allow him to enjoy the right to work without the burden and pain of PTSD.
JUDGE’S FINDINGS
In a pre-trial ruling, Baker rejected the railroad’s contention that Hopman may only bring a “reasonable accommodation” claim if he is unable to perform the essential functions of his job without the accommodation.
She noted that the Americans with Disabilities Act offers three definitions of the term “reasonable accommodation.” They include modifications or adjustments to a job application process to allow a qualified but disabled applicant to be considered for the position; modifications or adjustments to the work environment, or to the way in which the job is customarily performed, to enable a qualified but disabled person to do the job; and modifications or adjustments to allow an employee with a disability “to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment as are enjoyed by its other similarly situated employees without disabilities.”
Baker found that Hopman’s claim fits under the third definition.
She wrote in a May 26 order denying Union Pacific’s summary judgment motion that “many courts have recognized, in accordance with the ADA and its implementing regulations, that an employee ably performing the essential functions of his job might still need a reasonable accommodation to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment.”
She cited a 2018 ruling in the District of Columbia Circuit which says “a reasonable jury could conclude that forcing [the plaintiff] to work with pain when that pain could be alleviated by his requested accommodation violates the ADA.”
“Mr. Hopman contends that, due to his disabilities, he needed Atlas with him to work — as other employees do — without suffering from the flashbacks, migraines, anxiety and depression that have accompanied his PTSD,” Baker said.
Union Pacific argued in written briefs that employers are only obligated to provide accommodations that are reasonable, even if they aren’t necessarily the particular accommodation sought. But Baker said Hopman needs only to show that his request seems “reasonable on its face.”
The law states that an accommodation isn’t reasonable if an employer can show that it would impose an undue hardship on the employer. Baker said Union Pacific hasn’t demonstrated any undue hardship it would suffer as a result of granting Hopman’s request.
She noted that based on evidence she had seen so far, a reasonable juror could conclude that Hopman’s request wouldn’t cost the railroad any money and doesn’t violate any rule. She said a reasonable juror could also find that no problems resulted when another employee brought his dog to work years earlier to mitigate an anxiety disorder. And she noted that Union Pacific even has its own dogs to assist personnel on and around trains, and thoroughly assesses those dogs and handlers before approving them, which indicates it could easily do the same for Hopman and Atlas.
The railroad’s attorney, Linda Schoonmaker of Houston, declined Friday to comment on the case without the railroad’s approval.
John W. Griffin Jr., a Victoria, Texas, attorney who is representing Hopman, said the case is the first in the country involving the refusal of Union Pacific, the country’s largest railroad, to allow conductors and engineers to use a service dog to combat symptoms of PTSD.
He said he hopes that Hopman’s case “will open up a lot of doors for other workers.”
Griffin tried another case in 2015 in San Antonio in which the jury found that Schlumberger Technology Corp. violated federal law by failing to reasonably accommodate an Iraq war veteran’s PTSD by waiting six months to let the mechanic bring his service dog to work, and then restricting the dog’s movements. The jury awarded the veteran about $28,000 in compensatory damages but declined to award punitive damages.
Griffin is seeking a court order requiring the company to allow Atlas on the job, as well as damages to compensate Hopman for different jobs he did to avoid being away from home overnight without Atlas, even though the railroad said he didn’t receive lower pay; and attorneys’ fees.
The railroad argued that to be able to sue, Hopman had to show that he suffered “adverse employment action,” such as a demotion or a loss of pay, as a result of his request. But Baker said, “there is no requirement to demonstrate any adverse action other than the failure to accommodate itself.”
Gus Goes To School
A recent Salem R-80 School Board of Education article mentioned the beginning day of a therapy dog at Salem High School (Aug. 25, 2020, The Salem News). As the staff discussed the upcoming editions of The Salem News, we agreed that more to the story was needed.
While ‘Gus goes to school’ sounds more like a children’s book, complete with many illustrations; Gus is far from a school pet or mascot.
Research is plentiful on the benefits of therapy dogs in various environments, including school-age children.
Salem High School Counselor Chelsie Fulton explored this research before bringing the idea to school administration.
Both Marty Anderson, Salem High School principal, and Dr. Lynne Reed, superintendent, had experience with therapy dogs in other schools.
“They were so supportive and totally onboard with the idea,” said Fulton.
First-year counselor Chelsie (Tune) Fulton is a 2010 graduate of Salem High School. She attended College of the Ozarks, then later completed her Masters in 2018. She began teaching history at SHS in 2015.
“Once I left Salem and attended college, I didn’t have that kinship that I felt while living here. When we are young, we can’t wait to get out. This place made me, and I want to help others, and make a difference,” she shared.
Fulton has always wanted to be a counselor for students. She is excited to be in the counselor’s seat, after the retirement of Susan Jadwin this past year.
“As a teacher, I had each student for around 46 minutes per day. As a counselor, there is more time to make relationships and assist further with problems,” said Fulton.
Fulton and Gus began training to help students within the first weeks of his life in Salem.
Gus, a Goldendoodle, turned 1 in June. Attending the K-9 Academy in Rolla, Fulton and Gus trained in four classes. Socialization, two courses in obedience, and an AKC-registered good citizen class earned Gus his therapy license, under the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Susan Hinkle, a long-time therapy dog representative certified Gus. Gus started his work Aug. 31, and will typically be on duty, three days per week.
Fulton provided parts of her research to the board of education at a recent meeting.
Animal Assisted Therapy is a goal-driven intervention, which is directed and delivered by a health, human, or education service professional and is meant to improve physical, social, emotional and/or cognitive function of an individual. Therapy dogs are not the same as “emotional support animals” or “service animals.” Fulton maintains full responsibility for the care and behavior of Gus. If a student is allergic or has a fear of dogs, there are policies in place to support the student in alternate locations.
A typical day for Gus while at the high school includes visiting with students in the counseling office, making trips into classrooms and greeting students in the hallways. Future plans of reading with elementary students, which is proven to raise reading levels; and other trips to R-80 schools will further Gus’ reach and integration into the school system.
“My goal for Gus is to become a part of the school community and for students to engage with him as much as they need or want to. I plan to utilize Gus in a multitude of ways to ensure students have an outlet in whatever emotional state they may be in,” said Fulton.
Fulton said she feels that high school is somewhat inclusive in Salem, but she is not naïve, knowing that there are bullies, and bullying happens differently now. Social media has made it easier for bullying to be a silent problem, leading students to not seek support as much.
“Bullying isn’t black and white, as it may have previously been with shoving in the hallway, and other noticeable issues,” said Fulton.
She sees students multiple times per week for a variety of issues related to scheduling, emotional issues, internal struggles, among other problems.
Students have siblings, or other family members, close friends in the school, so they are interconnected. If one is suffering an emotional problem, chances are there are others suffering too.
Her hope is to help ease the distress for students whenever possible, with Gus by her side.
Dog-Grooming Services
A Melbourne vet has called for dog-grooming services to be reopened despite the city’s strict coronavirus lockdown after treating a number of gruesome injuries caused by owners attempting to groom their pets at home.
Dr Jack Zaks has performed emergency procedures on a number of animals at his Elsternwick clinic since stage four restrictions began in August.
In one case, he said the owner tried to trim around their dog’s ears, cutting an artery and leading to “a Hollywood-style spurting of blood”.
Dr Zaks said dog-grooming services provide an essential service to the health and welfare of pets.
For some breeds, particularly those with long hair, regular grooming is vital to the animal’s wellbeing, which some owners are unable to provide at home.
“It’s discriminating to say that you can’t go to the groomer because dogs need to be tended to, otherwise they will fall into a heap,” Dr Zaks said. Under the government’s road map announced on Sunday, dog-grooming services will remain shut until October 26, meaning many pets will have been ungroomed for more than three months. Ms Garthe’s business, Beanfeet Dog Grooming, shut at the beginning of August when stage four restrictions began.
“It’s all about the welfare of the animal,” Ms Garthe said. “The business part is probably less important.”
Ms Garthe said while dogs were allowed to visits to vets, it shouldn’t be expected that vets do the job of groomers.
Australian Veterinary Association president David Middleton echoed this sentiment. He said vets had struggled to cope with providing urgent grooming along with meeting new COVID-related safety measures.
Stuart Walford, owner of poodles Susan and Peter, said the hypoallergenic breed required weekly bathing in order to keep their fur clean.
“We’ve had to do lots of weekly brushing, like three times a week, to help maintain their coat,” Mr Walford said. “I personally see more confidence and playfulness in my dogs when they are freshly groomed.”
The RSPCA’s Victorian branch said pets could experience adverse and serious side effects when grooming was neglected.
Animal Justice Party MP Andy Meddick has asked the state government to classify dog grooming as an essential service for animal welfare and allow businesses to open immediately.
“There are literally many thousands of things that the government has to consider and it’s easy for some to slip through the cracks … which is why I have raised companion animal grooming with them,” Mr Meddick said.
“Let’s seek the advice of vets, seek the advice of professionals in the industry and see what balance can be struck because these are reasonable people. “They’re not asking for open slather.”
A government spokesperson said the focus in metropolitan Melbourne was on driving down the rate of COVID-19 infection.
“As a result, pet groomers cannot operate in metropolitan Melbourne,” they said.
“If a pet’s welfare is impacted due to an urgent requirement for grooming, people should consult their closest veterinarian.”
Hazel Bringing Joy
Leesburg Elementary School is excited to introduce their newest employee, Hazel Grace Huffer.
Hazel is a 6-year-old sheepadoodle, owned by fourth-grade teacher Stacy Huffer. With Stacy’s help, Hazel finished her training for certification as a therapy dog in February. She is certified and insured through Alliance of Therapy Dogs to comfort and bring joy to others.
In order to be certified, Hazel graduated from two training classes and visited three different public places under supervision of the ATD tester, two of which were medical facilities. Hazel is also trained to respond to visual cues and has learned hand signals for different commands such as sit, stay and lie down.
Hazel creates an atmosphere of joy just by being present. She is excited to greet everyone and is nonjudgmental, kind to all and a great listener. Her presence will aid students struggling with friendship and home issues, school anxiety and other problems. Students are not required to interact with Hazel and their decision to not engage will be respected.
Research shows that therapy-dog programs provide significant benefits for students.
According to the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, “Therapy dogs have been called ‘miracle workers’ because of their calming effect on students and teachers.” Therapy dogs help with everything from trauma to reading interventions to a positive school climate.
The presence of a dog can lower people’s blood pressure and stress levels, increase levels of dopamine and serotonin, improve physical well-being, decrease anxiety, dramatically increase positive mood, ease social isolation and help children learn social skills and help young readers gain confidence.
Leesburg Elementary is thrilled to have Hazel join their staff; together they will serve and enrich students’ lives on a daily basis, according to a news release. Hazel’s first day at Leesburg was Monday, and she quickly made a positive impact by helping two individual students regulate after becoming upset. After spending a few minutes with Hazel, the students were able to successfully transition back to class. During the evenings and weekends, Hazel is practicing her therapy skills at Titus Funeral Home. When Hazel isn’t working, she enjoys chasing squirrels in the backyard, napping on her handler’s bed and cuddling on the couch.
Warsaw Community Schools would like to thank Stacy Huffer and welcome Hazel to the WCS family, the news release said.
Brooke Visits New Students
It’s not just students who are getting used to their new online classrooms. One local guidance counselor is reaching out to her students in a creative way with the help of a four-legged friend.
Therapy dog Brooke has been helping students at Monac Elementary School for 12 years, but because of the coronavirus pandemic, this year is looking a little different.
Melanie Robinson has been a counselor at the school for 12 years with Brooke by her side for two. The pair typically visits each classroom every other week for a special lesson. But because Monac is starting the school year online, Robinson is taking a unique approach to welcome new students that she’ll be working with virtually until it’s safe to be back in school: a front yard meeting with masks, gift bags and of course Brooke herself. “She is an immediate attraction and they’re instantly drawn to her,” Robinson said. “She’s very calm, she’s very soft and they instantly will talk to her even if they’re not comfortable talking with an adult.” Robinson says forming an in-person bond with her students is important especially with more of them feeling the isolation of distance learning.
“They are able to feel your energy, put a face to a name, they get to meet and pet Brooke, which is an instant, immediate friend that they have, that they know when they walk into the building for the first time.”
On Thursday, it’s second grader Khai. Not only is she new to Monac but to the entire Washington Local Schools district.
Her mom Kristal Barham says the mobile meeting will help her daughter open up when schools do. “Just to have an adult there that she now feels comfortable with—and I just think the therapy dog is an extra touch, to have a dog that she can go to and can just help her and soothe her and calm her down,” Barham said. And it’s reassuring for Barham herself too.
“I think her coming, me actually being able to talk to the teacher, actually see the therapy dog, I think it really makes me feel a lot more comfortable with Khai starting.”
Monac Elementary will reevaluate the status of the coronavirus in October to determine if the school can start hybrid learning.
King Of The Waves
Scooter the rescue dog was already a trained therapy dog, visiting stroke patients and people receiving end of life care at St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester.
And now he has learned to surf. The poodle-cross started off life on the streets of Portugal before being rescued by a charity. But with no space for him at the pound, staff were preparing to put him down.
It could of been the end for Scooter – but when Kirstie Coy-Martin, a police officer at the MET who lives in Bracklesham Bay, heard his story, she decided to adopt him and bring him to England.
Scooter’s ‘really chilled’ temperament, despite what he had been through, made him perfect to become a therapy dog, as Kirstie said: “He has this sixth sense for people who are really poorly and vulnerable.”
And he soon found himself comforting his owner, too. Last year the 46-year-old, who has worked on the frontline in the police for 24 years, including in the child abuse investigation team, was diagnosed with PTSD.
The keen surfer learned that, in America, pets are trained as surf therapy dogs to support war veterans, and she decided to train up Scooter.
“Then we could surf together,” she said. “That’s where I feel the safest and forget about everything, when I’m on the water.” Their training started out in the back garden, with Kirstie enticing him onto the board with treats and cuddles.
It meant that when they hit the beach, he was eager to jump on. Kirstie said Scooter loves being on the board, where he always wears a lifejacket, and has ‘really good balance’. He has caused quite the stir on the beach.
“We get stopped quite a lot for photos,” said Kirstie, who had special stickers made of him to give out to children. “That’s what he’s there for, to make people smile.”
Kirstie has now entered him into his first competition – the Global Dog Surfathon Dog Surfing Competition, based in South California, where she said surfing dogs are treated like superstars and even get their own sponsorship deals.
Scooter is the only dog in the UK and even Europe to take part and is currently at third place in the people’s awards. Scooter has helped Kirstie so much that she has now started the year-long process of training him to be her service dog, meaning she will be able to take him everywhere with her – including shops and restaurants. He will be trained to wake her up when she suffers from nightmares, which happens frequently, or keep people away when she is in a crowded place.
“When I’m with him, everyone’s attention is on him and it gives me something to focus on,” she said. “I’m able to do more.”
And going forward, she hopes he will be able to help others too. Kirstie said once she is in a better place, she hopes to set up or work with a charity so that other people with PTSD can surf with Scooter.
She is keen to raise awareness that, while most people might associate the condition with veterans, it is also common among blue lights workers.
“In actual fact, police officers probably go through more trauma that the average person in the military,” she said. “They can go through several traumas on one shift.”
For now, Scooter will continue helping Kirstie heal by keeping her company out on her surf board. “He is really special,” she said. “To think he could have been put to sleep.”
Jasper The Therapy Dog
Six NHS workers including Jasper and his owner, hospital chaplain David Anderson, will be on hand to switch on the world-famous display.
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic the resort’s annual celebration will take place on Friday night behind closed doors, but will be filmed in the Tower Ballroom.
The “Corona Heroes” will join the event hosted by Diversity’s Jordan Banjo and Perri Kiely, Blackpool-born singer-songwriter Rae Morris and the Illuminations’ creative curator Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen.
This year’s theme of Bring On The Light will feature a display of hearts and rainbows along the Promenade’s Golden Mile, along with images of a further 48 Corona Heroes from hundreds of nominations across the UK.
Those chosen to pull the switch include nurse Leona Harris, from Rossendale, Lancashire, nicknamed “the Angel from the North”. She helped raise £75,000 to buy iPads for patients in hospitals, care homes and hospices all over Britain to keep families connected.
Joining her is six-year-old Will Ritchie, from Wirral, Merseyside, who raised £14,000 for hospitals in the area after he walked a marathon in a month.
The youngster, who was born with severe visual impairment and suffers with epilepsy, struggled to reach 100 metres at the start of lockdown but later stepped up to 1,500 metres a day.
Hospital chaplain David Anderson and therapy dog Jasper were also chosen for the support and comfort they provided to patients as well as boosting morale for staff at hospitals in east Lancashire.
Completing the line-up are Dr Jason Cupitt, who led the Covid-19 response at Blackpool Victoria Hospital’s intensive care unit; Donna Doyle, restaurant manager at Liverpool’s Alder Hey Hospital; and nurses Kirsty Jones and Rachelle Sutton, who moved out of their family homes while working at Blackpool’s Trinity Hospice and Manchester’s Nightingale Hospital.
Gillian Campbell, cabinet member for tourism and culture for Blackpool Council, said: “Those that have been invited to perform the actual switch-on will be there to represent the hundreds of thousands of people who have done so much to protect and support the British people.
“This is an extraordinary year with our traditional celebration on the Tower Festival Headland becoming a virtual event, but we are delighted that the switch-on moment will be a tribute to the truly remarkable people who have led our nation’s response to coronavirus.”
The Illuminations will stay lit for an extra two months until January 3 to boost tourist trade.
Hospital Gets Fury Friend
They are often said to be the most intelligent of all dogs. Used traditionally for herding livestock, border collies can learn a very large number of signals and commands. They are eminently trainable. Now, that intelligence is to be applied to the area of therapy, as one Zagreb children’s hospital prepares to welcome its first border collie as a member of the team.
Still only a puppy, Jupi is being prepared for the role by her owner, Iva Zečević, a clinical psychologist at the Psychiatric Hospital for Children and Adolescents. At the moment, Jupi still needs to get her jabs, go for training and pass a therapy dog exam, Iva revealed to Jutarnji List journalist Lada Novak Starčević in a recent interview.
Iva is undertaking the training herself with help from puppy coach Ana Odak and The Croatian Association for the Training of Guide Dogs and Mobility. Iva decided to dedicate herself personally to the task because she knows the Zagreb Children’s Hospital where she works would struggle to pay for a fully trained therapy dog. Despite the time and costs involved in the necessary process, Iva has previously seen the positive effects dogs can have on her patients and knows it’s a worthwhile undertaking. She is an experienced dog owner and has kept and trained several, although this is the first she has trained as a therapy dog.
Border collies are so clever that they thrive best in households that can give them lots of play and exercise. It is a British breed of dog, taking its name from the sheep farming lands which are situated on both sides of the Anglo-Scottish border. The word collie comes from the old Celtic word for useful. All of today’s purebred border collies can trace an ancestral line back to one dog. Old Hemp lived in Northumberland between 1893 and 1901 and was so skilled in his work with sheep, as well as having exactly the right temperament, that many shepherds used him as a stud for their future working dogs. Old Hemp is believed to have sired as many as 200 puppies to be reared as sheepdogs.
Dog Offers Comfort
A toothless Chihuahua named Kismet is giving dental patients something to smile about.
Each day, the diminutive dog heads to Corte Madera Family Dentistry in the Bay Area of California with her owners, Dr. Cameron Garrett and his wife, Debra Garrett. Everyone in the family has a job: Dr. Garrett is a dentist, Debra Garrett is a dental hygienist and Kismet is a dental therapy dog, who is available to snuggle in the laps of patients during exams, cleanings and even root canals.
While a few clients are fearful of dogs — in which case, Kismet stays behind a gate — about 98% of patients choose to cuddle with Kismet because so many people are anxious about having dental work.
“The studies are very clear: People who sit and pet animals have lower blood pressure, and that’s what it’s all about,” Dr. Garrett told TODAY. “Quite honestly, as a dentist, I’m as much a psychiatrist or psychologist as anything else. Kismet has allowed us to have another tool in our toolbox.”
He said she’s particularly helpful with children, who enjoy interacting with her. One young boy has needed a lot of dental work over the years, and it’s been challenging for him. But since Kismet (and her predecessor, dental dog Karma) started volunteering to comfort patients, the child is “a lot happier” when he walks in the door. “His first question is: ‘Is Kismet here?’ So it has really been just fabulous to be able to work with this child and see how the simple idea that the dog is there is going to make this so much easier an experience,” he said.
Kismet is a calm dog who never barks; she’s content just giving and getting love. Her role has a special significance during the coronavirus pandemic, with both staff and clients under increased stress. With prevention protocols for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, and signage around the office, the environment can seem less friendly than it usually does.
“Kismet has been wonderful about getting people back into the swing of things and feeling more comfortable with what is a difficult situation for all of us,” he said.
Because Kismet has zero teeth, the Garretts can use her story as a way to talk with clients about periodontal disease. After being rescued as a stray by Muttville Senior Rescue, the nonprofit invested thousands of dollars into the 13-year-old dog’s veterinary treatment, from extractions of her rotting teeth to surgeries to fix a hernia and remove a cancerous mammary gland, and starting medications for a heart murmur.
“She was a fixer-upper, and they fixed her up really nicely,” Debra Garrett told TODAY.
The Garretts adopted Kismet (formerly “Pancake”) from Muttville in August, about a month after the death of their beloved Karma, who worked as a dental dog for nearly four years at the practice. Karma was also a toothless former stray rescued by Muttville. Dr. Garrett said Muttville pets seem to be grateful to have love and attention in their golden years.
“We found both with Karma and Kismet, they just want to be around people and have an opportunity to be loved and give love,” he said. His wife agrees and said senior dogs often offer the benefit of being calmer, house-trained and needing less exercise. For example, they wanted a dog who would be happy with short walks in between client visits, as well as a friendly, nonintimidating dog. Kismet fit the bill perfectly. “She just wants to be with us,” she said. “When she is on a patient’s lap, she’s providing them comfort, but she’s also getting comfort. It’s hard for me to describe how nice it is for me to be looking at her too, while I’m working. It’s just a win-win all the way around.” Though it’s sad whenever a pet dies, Debra Garrett feels a “higher quality over quantity” is the way to go. “We’ve had dogs all our lives. We’ve had the puppies, we’ve gone through all the different life stages of dogs, and this has been the best, adopting these older dogs,” she said. “Even knowing that they’re not going to be around forever, it just makes us not take them for granted. They are more precious. We enjoy the quality of life that we get with them.”
Molly Does Pet Therapy
Meet Molly a three-year-old golden doodle.
At first glance, she may seem like any other dog. But Molly was groomed right away by Rainbow Palliative Care Social Worker and Chaplain Shannon Finger to become a pet therapy dog.
“When she was eight weeks old, I started exposing her to anything she might have to be comfortable with,” said Finger. “I would walk with her with walkers and wheelchairs and take her on elevators, staircases, through different kinds of doors, and around different kinds of people so that she would be used to anything that would come her way.”
Molly completed both puppy and regular obedience training and then passed the AKC Canine Good Citizen test. That test covers all the basic good manners that dogs should have, including coming when called, and common commands such as sit, stay, come, and leave it, and also, most importantly, reacting appropriately to friendly strangers and other dogs. Shannon also took Molly to lots of public places, including the Rainbow Hospice Care Inpatient Center (IPC) to become more familiar with the sights and sounds of the building.
“The more public places that I could take her, the more she would learn about normal everyday stuff so it wouldn’t make her nervous,” Finger said. “The most important thing is to make sure that she’s safe and that she’s relaxed. Then she will have a good visit with people.”
Molly’s work and preparation were just beginning though. She completed the Advanced Canine Good Citizen program which allows her to do everything off-leash in a public place and not be distracted by toys, treats, other dogs, or people. That took about a year and then Molly had to pass a very rigorous test through a group called Pet Partners to be certified as a pet therapy dog. That test includes a series of exercises that mirror what it would be like on a visit, such as encountering wheelchairs, handling loud noises, and staying calm around other animals and people. Every two years Molly has to be taken back and retested.
Any breed can be a pet therapy dog but it takes a special kind of canine to get through the training. Shannon tried two times previously to train a therapy dog and it didn’t work out.
“Nine years ago I got a labradoodle and we went to training and he was wild,” Finger said. “He just couldn’t be a good therapy dog. I adopted another dog from the humane society and he didn’t really like strangers. With Molly, there’s not a bad person out there in her mind. Therapy dogs just have to love attention from everybody all the time.”
Shannon and Molly have become quite the team. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Shannon would take Molly to work a few times a week. Sometimes Molly would go with Shannon to see patients at the Inpatient Center and sometimes Molly would tag along with her to see palliative care patients at assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.
For patients that have had dogs or aren’t able to see them anymore, Molly is a fitting substitute. As Molly dispenses unconditional love, she melts patients’ hearts with her affection and her companionship in the process.
“Most of the time when I take her in, people will start telling me, ‘oh I had this dog,’ and describe how special they were,” said Finger. “Just touching and petting a dog, we know that that lowers your heart rate, it lowers your blood pressure and we know it helps people feel more relaxed and more open. I think she’s like a window to the connections they’ve had with their own dogs.”
“She’s so friendly and loves to take treats,” said Ethel Schlitz, a patient at Lilac Springs in Lake Mills. “It’s pretty lonely here sometimes and when she visits she just brightens my day.”
Patients at end of life are often experiencing a flood of emotions, including pain and anxiety, but Molly brings a much-needed calming presence to their lives. She provides those patients and their families comfort and peace during a difficult time by easing anxiety, and reducing stress and loneliness.
“Listening to the patients and families giggle while Molly is sniffing around them, as they pet her and talk to her, it’s just the best thing in the world,” said Inpatient Center Manager Angie Zastrow. “It is pure and genuine happiness and I truly believe the experience is emotionally healing.”
That’s one of the many reasons that patients eagerly await Molly’s visits with anticipation.
“With one patient I would take Molly to see her at least once a week,” Finger said. “I would lower her bed down and Molly would just lay her head right there on her chest and one time she just had tears rolling down her face. She was just so happy.”
Christine Hinz stayed at the IPC briefly in November 2019. She passed away just over a month later after a battle with cancer. But when she had a chance to see Molly, a special bond quickly developed and helped take her mind off her illness.
“Molly is a godsend,” said Hinz. “She brings the warmness that everybody needs when they’re going through medical issues and no matter what problems people are facing, everybody should be able to benefit in some way.”
