Service Dog Joins Team

While saving lives, paramedics and EMTs often find themselves providing emotional support to people on their worst days. So when the job is done and they’ve returned to their stations, they may need some comfort as well.

Enter Indie: a smart and cuddly St. Bernard who recently joined East Baton Rouge Emergency Medical Services to provide relief for paramedics in distress after hard calls. She is a nationally registered ADA service dog and PTSD dog, her handler said.

“A lot of times we don’t want anybody to see our weaknesses because we’ve got to remain strong,” said Leah Constantino, one of Indie’s handlers. “With her, you can just be sad, and she’s gonna try to make you feel better.”

Constantino began ruminating on the need for an EMS emotional support dog after the tumultuous year of 2016, which saw the police shooting of Alton Sterling, widespread civil unrest in response, a deadly police ambush and a rare flood event that crippled the city.

Paramedics were at the forefront of each disaster, and some were badly traumatized by the experiences.

Constantino, who has been with EMS for 26 years, said paramedics are accustomed to putting their mental health on the back burner because they have to focus on their jobs. Not coping can manifest in a number of ways, such as developing depression and anxiety.

“It’s time that we take care of ourselves so we can take better care of other people,” she said.

Indie began on a trial basis in early summer for a little more than a month.

“The stars aligned, I don’t know,” Constantino said. “The difference was remarkable in a couple of days.”

She is now a uniformed officer with EMS. Her call number is Indie 500.

Dogs are great companions for people struggling with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.  A recent study by Purdue University’s College of Veterinary Medicine also showed that service dogs helped to “disrupt episodes of anxiety.”

Constantino said Indie takes the emotions paramedics have pushed aside or tamped down and allows them to process.

“We will compartmentalize our emotions on tragic events and do what we’re trained to do, do what’s necessary, and generally it hits us after the call,” she said.

Indie, who Constantino characterizes as smart and caring, will “almost immediately” approach the person who seems to be in the most distress after a bad call. She follows orders quickly, listening to her handlers with rapt attention and focus. Average training for a dog like Indie takes a year, Constantino said.

Ready to respond to paramedics who need comfort during debriefing sessions, Indie lives at EMS headquarters. She has set hours where she needs exercise and sleep, although these are adjusted when she is needed to step in for a paramedic in need — as long as those lost hours are made up later. Her wellbeing is critical, Constantino said.

Indie doesn’t go on calls, but she responds after calls. And she goes on social visits to other stations to boost paramedic morale.

After a recent traumatic call, Indie stepped up to help a paramedic struggling to process the night’s events.

It was late, and Indie was curled up on the floor. The paramedic joined her, lying down and closing her eyes beside the dog.

At some point, the paramedic grew emotional. As if sensing her sadness, Indie immediately picked her head up and rested it on the paramedic’s shoulder.

“She’s gonna love you,” Constantino said. “It’s unconditional love, non-judgmental love.”

Wolf Mascot In Training

Mark and Carol Rickman ran across the frozen turf at the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl for the first time with a brand new four-legged member of the Pack family.

“Roch” — a 1-year-old Siberian husky, malamute, boxer and Belgian Malinois mix — scampered with purpose from the west sideline, stopping at the Colorado State University Pueblo logo at the 50-yard line.

He didn’t mark his territory, but he seemed to know he was at home.

“He says, ‘I like this,’ ” Carol Rickman said as the pup pulled her across the field like a receiver running a quick out route.

“All this for me?,” her husband said, mimicking Roch as the pup stood tall staring at the south end zone.

“This is the first time he’s seen the field. He seems to like it,” Carol Rickman added.

Roch is the university’s new mascot in training.

The Rickmans and the university mourned the loss of beloved ThunderWolves mascot, Tundra, on March 12. Tundra was a greyhound and husky mix, but if you ask any CSU Pueblo alum, faculty, staff, student or community member, she was a full-blooded ThunderWolf. The Rickmans were known as Team Tundra on the CSU Pueblo campus and fondly called “Tundra’s parents.” Tundra was a rescue dog the Rickmans adopted from Colorado Springs All Breed Rescue in 2006.

Tundra became CSU Pueblo’s mascot in 2009 and epitomized the legendary animal which was envisioned in CSU Pueblo’s legend of a ThunderWolf, “a regal and majestic animal (that) evolved into the wisest and strongest of all.”

“She kind of took over campus. We went to all of the sporting events and all the events on campus. She was a therapy dog as well,” Carol Rickman said. “We still miss her dearly and her spirit will always be here.”

Tundra, who never missed a home football game during her tenure with the ThunderWolves, now has a little brother who will take on her duties.

Roch, pronounced rock, is in training.

“We thought that if another dog comes into our lives that we think would work well for this, we would love to do it again in her (Tundra’s) honor. So Roch was that dog,” Carol Rickman said.

She said Roch has a similar situation to Tundra in that he also is a rescue dog.

“He came from a place with really bad living conditions,” Carol Rickman said. “People were raising dogs to look like wolves, huskies, you know, that kind of thing. And so he actually escaped from that place by hopping a fence.”

Roch ended up in a shelter in Las Vegas, New Mexico. He later was placed in a foster home.

Like Tundra, Roch is a gentle animal — something Carol Rickman said is extremely important.

“He is very used to people,” she said.

Roch has been enrolled in classes in Colorado Springs to get his “Canine Good Citizen” certificate as well as his therapy dog certificate.

Roch is named after the patron saint of dogs and dog-lovers; bachelors; and the falsely accused.

“We thought that could come in handy to our players in case the refs decide to throw a few penalties their way that they shouldn’t have,” Carol Rickman said with a laugh.

“It will be fun. There’s a lot of hashtags we can come up with for his name: #RochStar, #MyPackRochs and #RochSolid. He can fit right in to all of that.”

The Rickmans said Roch is coming in to the fray at the right time.

Carol Rickman said 2020 has been a tough year, especially for CSU Pueblo with the loss of Tundra and so many other key figures in the Pack family.

“It’s been such a hard year and to end it with something kind of positive, and an excitement — I think it’s really important,” she said.

“It’s nice to have some good news for a change and I think it’s huge for the university. I really do,” Mark Rickman said.

Roch was officially introduced on Tundra’s Facebook Page, and Carol Rickman said the announcement came with several positive comments.

Tundra gained national attention during the CSU Pueblo football team’s playoff run in 2014, when #FreeTundra became a trending hashtag due to the NCAA regulations restricting live mascots on the field during post-season competition. She was, however, known to watch many Pack athletics events via livestream when unable to join team on the road.

Tundra’s ability to howl on command with the ThunderWolf hand signal brought joy to many.

“We are working on that with Roch,” Carol Rickman said. “He howls a little bit as we leave, but we will try to work on encouraging that.”

Nonprofit Soldier’s Best Friend

Staff Sgt. Terry Stallings served in the Army for 23 years. He was stationed across the globe, including posts in Iraq, Balad, Kuwait, Desert Storm, Mexico, Central America, Alaska, Portugal and Germany.

After six combat deployments overseas, he returned home and was diagnosed with post- traumatic stress disorder.

Veterans often rely on medications, therapy, sports and other treatment options for PTSD relief. Stallings looked toward companionship.

“He’s basically my battle buddy,” Stallings said. “Wherever I go, he follows me. If I’m laying down, he lays down at the foot of our bed. If I’m in the living room, he lays down next to my chair. He’s always ready to help me.”

“He” is Stallings’ service dog, a 135-pound Anatolian shepherd named Koda.

“Koda’s learned when I’m having nightmares, he’ll come up and he’ll comfort me,” Stallings said. “He’ll put his wet, cold nose on me at night when I’m sleeping and wake me up because he knows I’m having a bad dream or an episode or something like that.”

“So he’s always there.”

Stallings and his wife, Debbie, picked up two Anatolian brothers with the intention of eventually training one or both as service dogs.

“I thought it’d be nice to have one. We actually weren’t even sure what a service dog would do for us,” Stallings said, “but we decided to look around and do some research.”

The Mesa residents turned to Soldier’s Best Friend,an Arizona nonprofit that trains dogs to work with veterans with PTSD – or a combat-related traumatic brain injury – as service dogs. The organization either pairs the veteran with a dog adopted from a local shelter, or they train a dog already owned by the veteran.

“One thing we did notice was everywhere we looked and all the inquiries that we did, everything was leading us towards Soldier’s Best Friend as being the best (organization) out of all of them,” Stallings said.

Soldier’s Best Friend has been a nonprofit since 2001. Its program comes at no cost to the veteran. It has nearly 40 contributors – including volunteers and organizations – and is entirely funded through donations, grants and fundraisers.

“We go in, and we give back,” Stallings said. “Because it’s a nonprofit, they have to do fundraisers and stuff. And because (Koda’s) so well-trained, we don’t have a problem going out and helping or being the poster dog.”

Soldier’s Best Friend has helped hundreds of veterans, with nearly 300 dog-veterans teams that have graduated, according to its website. The group has five locations: Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott, Sierra Vista and Flagstaff.

Its staff is made up of war veterans, practicing PTSD therapists, professional service dog trainers, veterinarians and nonprofit professionals.

Not all dogs at Soldier’s Best Friend start out like Koda, already belonging to the veteran; many come from local shelters around the Valley.

Sarah Eccleton, the organization’s dog adoption and placement coordinator, has been working with dogs since she was a child.

“I actually would go and watch my mom do dog training classes, and by age 6, I was done watching,” she said. “We’ve got pictures of me, 6 years old with my first toy poodle, training it.”

Eccleton said because of her closeness with breeders, competing and training her own dogs, and understanding ATC (“authority to compete” referring to the guidelines to compete in the international dog show Crufts), she was prepared to deal with dogs of every personality type.

“I did a lot of behavioral training at a boarding facility that took all the reject (puppies) with temperament issues from everybody,” Eccleton said. “So that’s where I learned a lot of aggression and behavior training. That’s what made me a candidate for this position.”

Her current job is to understand the veteran’s lifestyle and needs and pair them with a dog to complete the training program at Soldier’s Best Friend.

“I get an understanding of what they’re capable of training and working with,” Eccleton said, “how active they are, how much grooming they’re willing to do, what needs they have for their TBI (traumatic brain injury) or PTSD.”

After her conversation with the veteran, she reaches out to shelters and describes what sort of dog she wants. Eccleton said she relies heavily on the kennel aides at shelters to help with the pairing process.

“They are hands-on with all their dogs, so they have a better insight of, ‘Well, I think this will fit,’” Eccleton said.

Shelters provide five to 10 dogs for Eccleton.

“I evaluate them for temperament, good with people, good with dogs, good with other animals, trainability and if they’re food or toy motivated,” Eccleton said.

Soldier’s Best Friend uses B.A.R.C. – Behavior Assessment Reactivity Checklist – to evaluate a dog’s interactions with humans and their reactions to such things as people in public or sounds. The nonprofit has rescued more than 165 dogs, according to its website.

The adopted pup moves into the foster period, which typically takes a few weeks to a month. The adopted dog is fostered by volunteers, and they work with a trainer from Soldier’s Best Friend to break some of their shelter habits, teach them basic skills and prepare them to enter into the training program alongside their veteran.

“That’s one of the requirements at Soldier’s Best Friend,” Stallings said. “If (Soldier’s Best Friend) provide a dog … they require that the dog has a certain amount of skills already trained in him so that they can see if the dog is trainable.”

Whether a dog goes through the adoption process or is brought in by a veteran, the dog must know how to perform basic commands, Stallings said. If the dog can sit, shake and/or lay down, staff members know the dog is teachable.

All dogs are spayed, neutered and vaccinated, and they have received all recommended preventative medications before placement, according to the organization’s website.

Veterans who are paired with rescue dogs will not be charged for veterinary services and most supplies during the training process, the organization says, and veterans who own dogs will get veterinary services at a reduced rate during training.

Each veteran and dog go through a six- to nine-month training program. The program’s teaching is aligned with the Canine Good Citizen training – a 10-skill program that teaches dogs the basics of manners and obedience – and requires a minimum of three personal service tasks.

The veteran also is given a written test that covers proper care and training techniques for their dogs.

Allison Walker, a lead trainer at the nonprofit, said they focus on training the veterans – the handler – how to train the dog themselves.

“Every trainer is assigned teams, and the teams do one group lesson and one individual lesson every week,” Walker said. “Every trainer is taking their teams through from day one through graduation.”

The primary focus of Soldier’s Best Friend is to train the dogs to be service animals, but the program is equally as rigorous for the veterans. Because of their PTSD symptoms, everyday tasks such as going to a store or attending a crowded event can become nearly impossible for some.

“We tell them that this program is going to push their boundaries and test their limits,” Walker said, “because although we don’t want to overwhelm anyone, we want them when they are in the real world to know how to respond to things.”

Stallings said the training program changed his mind about repetitiveness and perseverance. Because of his military background, he liked to give a command and see it performed right away. He also was quick to get frustrated and react.

“There’s a saying in the program: It only takes a couple of weeks to train a dog; it takes six to nine months to train the veteran,” Stallings said. “The dog will usually get it before the veteran gets it. You learn patience really quick, which is a skill that when you go back into the civilian world, it’s really hard to have patience.”

Anatolian shepherds, like Koda, are livestock guard dogs and trackers – dogs that can detect, recognize and follow a scent. Stallings said this trait is most beneficial for him when he’s in crowded places and begins to feel anxious.

“If I’m looking in one aisle and she’s in another, and I kind of feel like I’m getting amped up – my PTSD or whatever – and I need to get back to my wife, I can tell Koda, ‘Find Mom.’ And what he’ll do is he’ll immediately go into track mode, and he’ll take me back to her,” Stallings said.

The nonprofit’s main goal is to train each dog to fit the veterans’ unique and specific needs.

“Every dog is a little bit different, and every veteran needs something different from their dog,” Walker said. “We do a lot of talking and deciding what tasks the veteran is going to teach the dog because the task work is so personal.”

Koda has graduated from service dog training, but he and Stallings now attend advanced training classes at the nonprofit. The tasks mastered at this training level have made Stallings feel more at ease. Koda is his second set of eyes.

“I’ve always worried about people being behind me where I can’t see,” Stallings said, ”so I taught him to watch my back.

“He would sit on my right side and look behind me. He’ll actually nudge me, letting me know there are people behind me, that he can see them and it’s OK.”

Koda is there to lend a helping paw when Stallings needs help up.

“If I was sitting on the floor or sitting in a chair and I needed him,” Stallings said, “he’ll come to me and I’ll tell him to brace, and then he locks his front legs up. Between his shoulder blades, I can apply all my body weight on him and stand up basically like a cane.”

Koda also “has learned to turn on light switches, to open up all the doors in the house and close them,” Stallings said.

At the beginning of the program, however, Stallings was skeptical.

“I know when we first started it, I was like, ‘There’s no way this is going to work,’” he said.

He could tell that Koda did not understand why he was training or going through such repetitive motions, but it didn’t take long to see a change in himself and his dog.

“All of a sudden, the light would kick on, and he’d understand,” Stallings said. “It’s kind of cool to see him get it. It’s almost like he’s smiling, he’s figured it out. ‘I know why I’m doing this.’”

Walker said she, too, can see a dog’s mentality change throughout the training.

“One day they come in, and they realize they are no longer just a pet,” Walker said.

But the veterans also go through a big change as well.

“They see all of a sudden how their life is opened up,” Walker said, “because they have a service dog, and they see now that they are going to be able to do things that they thought they never would be able to do again.”

Eccleton compares the veterans to the newly adopted dogs: timid and anxious when they first enter the program.

“When you’re working with a fearful dog, you’ve got to have them be exposed to that fear, right? Because you can’t conquer the fear if you just avoid it,” she said. “Once you conquer it, and then you see, ‘OK, I survived that.’ That’s a reward in itself, so I think that’s the same kind of therapeutic effect for our veterans.”

Walker said she began at Soldier’s Best Friend with the intention of learning to train and educate, but seeing the difference a service dog can make on a veteran is the most rewarding part.

“Being able to help veterans achieve that sense of independence again,” Walker said, “especially helping them communicate with their dogs more effectively and connect with their dogs … because they do come to trust each other.”

Stallings said Koda’s brother Kacey has been able to pick up on some of the skills Koda has learned. But they still get to spend their time together playing and being normal pets.

“One of the things I noticed a lot is when he’s not suited up, he’s just a dog,” Stallings said. “I watch him play in the backyard and when the mailman comes … he’s barking out of the window, ‘I see you, I see you,’ but as soon as I put the vest on him, it’s like flipping a light switch. It’s like, ‘OK, I’m working now.’”

Stallings said Soldier’s Best Friend only strengthened the bond between him and Koda, and now they’re more than just pet and owner.

“He acts like he has a purpose,” Stallings said.

Dog DNA Testing

TopConsumerReviews.com once again gave its best-in-class 5-star rating to Embark, a trusted service that provides Dog DNA Testing.

Millions of people have used DNA tests to learn more about their heritage. Why should our most loyal companions miss out on the fun? Dog DNA Testing can be used for many reasons, including proof of bloodline for pedigreed pooches, insights into preventable health conditions, or even discovering exactly what breeds went into making a lovable shelter mutt so cute. With the right Dog DNA Testing Kit, collecting the sample is as easy as an oral swab, with results delivered via email within a month or so. These services vary widely in terms of what they test, so interested customers should be sure to read the fine print prior to selecting a provider.

“There are a number of Dog DNA testing services available today, but none gives you as much as Embark,” confirmed Brian Dolezal of TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC. “While you might find companies that sell Dog DNA testing kits for less, you won’t find any service that provides the wealth of information Embark offers. In DNA testing, the number of markers matters: Embark tests against 200,000 while their competitors only use 10,000. And, as the company keeps pace with new scientific discoveries, they update your dog’s profile accordingly – at no additional cost. While Embark’s Dog DNA testing is extremely valuable for discovering potential health conditions, so that owners can take action to prevent problems and preserve their pets’ health, the service is well-loved because of its breed evaluation. Want to know if your sweet Fifi descended from wolves? Or if your adorable Rottie might have some poodle in his blood? Embark has identified more than 250 breeds and will give you a detailed estimate – and they’ll even show you other pets in their database with the same breed mix! Embark is truly the most comprehensive Dog DNA test on the market today, and it’s well worth the money if you want to know more about your canine companion. This is our preferred choice among Dog DNA testing kits in 2020.”

About Embark
Embark Veterinary, Inc. launched in 2015 with a mission to end preventable disease in dogs. An Embark Dog DNA Test enables pet owners to learn about their dog’s breed, ancestry, health, and what diseases may be in the future – all with a simple cheek swab. By using over twice as much genetic information than any other test available, the company offers the most accurate results on the market. Embark was started by two brothers, Adam and Ryan Boyko, who have a passion for scientific research and a lifelong love of dogs. Embark is an official research partner of Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine and is the official dog DNA test of the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show.

About TopConsumerReviews.com
TopConsumerReviews.com, LLC is a leading provider of reviews and rankings for thousands of consumer products and services. From Dog DNA Testing to Pet Insurance and Dog Beds, TopConsumerReviews.com delivers in-depth product evaluations in order to make purchasing decisions easier.

Dog Helping Kids

When the surf season ends, Ricochet trades her life jacket for a Santa jacket and transforms herself into Surfin’ Santa Paws… turning boards into bucks.

This is Ricochet’s 12th season of Howliday Giving Drives and this year it benefits her Waves of Empowerment Program that helps kids with special needs, adaptive surfers, wounded warriors, and veterans with PTSD.

It will also benefit her PTSD service dog initiative, a black lab puppy named Balboa (Bo) that she’s helping to train for Marine veteran, Staff Sgt. Persons “Griff” Griffith IV. Ricochet worked with Griff as a therapy dog for a couple of years. He’s also in the IMAX film, “Superpower Dogs” with her, which is now showing on Hulu.

As COVID-19 cases spike across the country, millions of families are experiencing high anxiety as they struggle with decisions about the holidays with stay at home orders, restrictions, and other challenges. All these feelings and uncertainty are causing great physical, psychological, and emotional distress.

But Ricochet isn’t letting COVID ruin the holidays. Instead of surfing with kids and veterans like she typically does, she’s offering free Zoom calls with her pawtégé, Bo. There is nothing like the comfort pups can provide during these difficult times… and who can resist a 12-week old puppy.

Ricochet will be 13 in January. She’s healthy, but we know she won’t be with us forever. As such, She’s hoping you’ll help her legacy live on… literally through Bo. The cost of raising and training a puppy to be a service dog is not cheap. In fact, it can run upwards of $25,000.

But, because of Griff’s service to the country and the sacrifices he and his family have made, Ricochet is providing the puppy at no cost to him. This courageous man returned home fighting another debilitating battle… PTSD.

Military recruits go through rigorous training to learn how to fight a war, but nobody teaches them how to come home after experiencing horrific battlefield atrocities. The least Ricochet can do is help Griff continue his healing journey with a service dog. She is committed to helping him in his recovery through the tremendous healing that comes with puppy breath.

The funds raised will cover training, placing, providing support, vet bills, wellness checks, food, treats, bones, supplies, grooming, vaccinations, microchip, shots, license, monthly preventatives, wellness checks, travel, team training, and other miscellaneous expenses.

 

Therapy Dog Lifts Spirits

Residents at Lakeview Assisted Living aren’t listening for the sound of reindeer on the roof this Chirstmas. Instead, they’re listening for the sounds of Uma, a 4-year old black labrador, padding down the hallway.

The coronavirus made 2020 a long and lonely year for many residents at the long-term care facility, so staff at Lakeview started a therapy dog program to bring them comfort and joy this holiday season.

Before the pandemic, volunteers and family members regularly brought animals into the pet friendly facility to visit residents, but health precautions halted all visits in March.

“When we move people into Lakeview, we promise that we’re going to provide them an enriching life”, said Dawn Dye, whose job is life enrichment director at Lakeview Assisted Living. “So trying to really think outside the box to find safe ways to still provide spiritual, emotional, cognitive ways to keep them engaged – it’s been a challenge.”

Residents have relied on each other for company this year, but not being able to spend time with family during the holidays is especially hard, Dye said.

Uma is bringing them some comfort by spending a few minutes with them in the lobby or by coming to visit them in their rooms, whatever the residents need.

“She can bring distraction … It just brings a lot of joy at a time when things can kind of get sad,” she said. “I believe it was meant to be.”

Long before she started work as a therapy dog, Uma was familiar with Lakeview. She lived there with her owner, who is a resident. Eventually, he could no longer care for Uma himself, but he was loathe to give her up.

So, Dye found an outside-the-box solution and offered to train Uma as a therapy dog.

“She could then work and love all the residents here, and he didn’t have to give up his dog,” Dye said. “It was kind of a win-win for everybody.”

During the day, when Uma isn’t working with other residents she spends time with her owner. At night, Dye takes her home to care for her.

Working with Uma is just one of the ways Dye and the staff at Lakeside have tried to keep residents’ spirits high this year. At Halloween, they planned a costume parade, and during the Christmas season, they found ways to adapt holiday traditions while keeping everyone safe.

“Communities are trying to do more to help the residents during this difficult time,” Dye said. “The staff is always willing to do whatever they can to bring joy to the residents.”

Prior to working with Dye, Uma didn’t have any training as a therapy dog, but she took to the work quickly and is now certified.

“I believe she was made for this,” Dye said. “She loves all the residents. They love her. She’s very calm, and it’s just amazing when she walks in the room and the residents light up.”

Uma visits resident Barb Griffin almost every day.

“I just love that dog,” Griffin said. “She’s so much company to me.”

Before moving into Lakeview last February, Griffin had a dog of her own. She didn’t think it would be happy living in an apartment, so she gave the dog to her son.

During the pandemic, she hasn’t been able to visit with her family or her dog, so Uma has been a welcome visitor.

When Uma stops by, Griffin likes to give her treats, and then they spend time cuddling.

“She’s so loving. She’ll get right up on your lap,” Griffin said.

Griffin said she’s adjusted to the changes brought about by the pandemic this year, and although Christmas will be different from the one she was expecting, it’s not all bad.

“It’s just the way life is right now,” she said. “We just have to make the best of it.”

Between Zoom calls with her family, the care of the Lakeview staff and visits from Uma, Griffin said she couldn’t be happier, and she’s not letting what isn’t possible bring her spirits down.

Dogs Ease Pandemic

Eileen Nagle sees her family in video chats and drive-by visits, but that hasn’t made up for the lack of warm hugs in the nine months since the pandemic led her nursing home to shut its doors to visitors.

Enter Zeus. “Zeus is a friendly little snowball, very happy,” said Nagle, 79, after the peppy bichon frise paid a visit to her room at Hebrew Home at Riverdale, overlooking the Hudson River in the Bronx. “Petting and playing with the dogs breaks up the day and gets you to forget about yourself for a while.”

Hebrew Home has had a pet therapy program for 20 years; tiny Zeus and gentle giant Marley the Great Dane are the current snugglers in residence. Now, the activities department is expanding the canine corps with two new recruits in training to give residents more of the affectionate physical contact that has become so scarce and precious in the coronavirus era.

“It’s uplifting to have Zeus come and visit me, especially with COVID and being restricted to my room,” said 80-year-old Jeff Philipson, beaming as he ran his fingers through Zeus’ silky white fur while the dog clambered on his bed. “I talk on the phone every day with my daughter and my son, but that’s as good as it can get for now.”

When the pandemic lockdown began in March, dog therapy was suspended along with most other activities at the nursing home.

“I decided we needed to re-energize the pet visiting program since there’s no outside visitation allowed,” said Daniel Reingold, founder of the pet therapy program and president and CEO of RiverSpring Health, nonprofit operator of 103-year-old Hebrew Home. “They’ve been on the floors bringing happiness and unconditional love to residents and staff alike.”

The dogs belong to staff members who bring them to work every day. But the program doesn’t allow just any dog.

“It has to be a combination of the right owner, right dog and right temperament,” said Reingold, whose own rescue dog, Kida, is one of the new recruits. “The dogs have to be assessed, follow basic commands and be able to cope with wheelchairs, elevators, medication carts and all the other things they’ll encounter on a floor.” Cats are also used in the pet therapy program — but only robotic ones. Hebrew Home has numerous lifelike animatronic cats that purr and meow as residents hold them in their laps and stroke their fur. “The cats are especially soothing to people with dementia,” said Catherine Farrell, director of therapeutic activities, primary dog handler and owner of Marley.

“The love of an animal is incredible,” Farrell said. “It releases endorphins, reduces blood pressure, reduces anxiety. For people here who had animals in their life history, seeing dogs triggers memories and opens communication.”

While Farrell has to remain 6 feet away from residents and wear a face mask and plastic shield, Marley can plop his head on their beds as they pet him.

“To break through the social distancing barrier is really important,” Farrell said. “It’s one of the only ways they’re able to touch another living being and gain satisfaction from that physical connection.”

But it’s not just about petting a dog, said Olivia Cohen, dog handler and assistant director of the therapeutic activities program. For some residents, the interaction can break down barriers and open communication and emotional expression, she said.

Cohen recalls one woman who was struggling with anxiety and having trouble coping with the new environment when she moved into the home. “Nothing would get through to her to help her,” Cohen said. “But when I brought the dog to her, her complete affect changed from crying to having her face light up and telling stories about her own experiences.”

For resident Elizabeth Pagan, dog visits are a welcome respite from the isolation she has endured since she’s been restricted to FaceTime visits with her children, grandchildren and terrier-dachshund mix Ruby.

“It means a lot to me, makes me feel good when I pet the dogs,” said Pagan, who’s recovering from a stroke. “My favorite is Marley. He gives me a lot of comfort.”

The Dog Mother

Kaveri Rana Bhardwaj opened an animal shelter in Greater Noida to cope with the loss of her pet dog. She runs the Sophie Memorial Animal Relief Trust, which rescues and treats disabled animals, particularly dogs.
They say that dogs are a man’s best friend, but Sophie was more than just a friend to Kaveri Rana Bhardwaj; she was a lifeline. The first dog that she rescued, Sophie held a special place in Kaveri’s heart. And she was heartbroken when her pet passed away at the age of 12. “She was my first pet daughter and we lost her to, can’t say old age, but to a disease when she was just 12. I couldn’t cope with her loss, and the only thing that filled the void was doing something meaningful. I found that meaning in rescuing helpless and disabled dogs,” Kaveri shares with SocialStory. Even though rescues were a part of Kaveri’s schedule, it wasn’t a full-time job until Sophie’s passing in 2017. After that, she co-founded Sophie Memorial Animal Relief Trust with her husband, Yashraj Bhardwaj. There were no animal shelters in Greater Noida, when the couple opened the first animal shelter in the city, the SMART Sanctuary.
Often referred to as the ‘Dog Mother’ of Noida. Kaveri shares a very special bond with dogs, and often refers to them as her “babies and children”. She now spends a major portion of her time on rescues. When asked about how she plans her time, she says, “I don’t. The job that I do is quite unpredictable and you never which one of the babies needs help.” In fact, Kaveri lives with 12 puppies in her living room, so regular sleep cycles are out of the question for her husband and her. So, just after having rescued an obese, pregnant dog that was too unhealthy to give birth, Kaveri had a conversation with SocialStory, speaking about her journey so far with the trust and the adventures that each day holds. After making the choice to dedicate her time to animals, Kaveri says she stands strong due to the support of her husband. A freelance digital marketing professional, he also dons his cape and drives the ambulance of the trust. In fact, he makes it a point to do it himself since he doesn’t think that other volunteers understand that an injured dog needs special care.   The main driving force, apart from being an ardent animal lover and passionate social worker, is Kaveri’s strong disagreement with the current treatment of disabled dogs – that is what keeps her going. “Even though some of them don’t make it through, it is really heartening to see them recover and get back to their normal life.”Based on the condition of the dog, Kaveri and Yashraj take a call on whether they need treatment or admission into a hospital. If the dog can be treated at the spot, they do that with the support of a hospital in Ghaziabad, Canine and Feline Critical Care Unit. The hospital supports them in surgeries, treatment, post-ops, medical, and other needs. “Some of their treatments require titanium plates and other expensive equipment, which is otherwise hard to manage.” Through one such successful campaign at Milaap, Kaveri and Yashraj managed to raise money and were able to build a home for 120+ dogs, and the capacity to go up to 500 dogs, in Greater Noida. The shelter home, SMART Sanctuary, also has a Canine Paralysis and Rehabilitation unit. The duo only had a plot of land on rent when they started raising funds. They had to put in a lot of efforts to develop the plot, but then the Milaap campaign happened. “The sanctuary has different enclosures for different types of ailments and animals.” A shed within the sanctuary, away from the dogs, fosters calves, donkeys, nilgais, and camels that were seized in a raid. Many disabled animals, including cats, and calves, who were injured during the lockdown, are also housed in the sanctuary. However, the most common animals that find their way to this safe haven are dogs. In fact, while they have treated and helped over hundreds of dogs, about 130 of them stay at the sanctuary. “We see a number of cases on a daily basis – dogs without limbs, blind dogs, deaf dogs,” Kaveri says. The organisation also runs sterilisation camps and mass vaccination drives in nearby villages where there are no veterinary hospitals. The team also rescue snakes and release them into the forests of Greater Noida. Kaveri also works with Maneka Gandhi and People For Animals (PFA) and heads the Gautham Buddh Nagar branch. However, even though things are running smoothly and the team manages to work for animals, the road has always been bumpy. Insufficient veterinary care, funds, haters – these were some of the biggest hindrances in Kaveri’s journey. “While a few appreciate what you do, many hate you. For them, you’re just a kuttawali (dog lady). When we rescue dogs who are injured, it’s natural for them to whine and bark because of their suffering, often creating a ruckus. This often triggers a lot of neighbours and RWAs, who’d often pick a fight with us,” she says. “But when people see the good work that you’ve been doing, the challenges melt away. This is a lot more rewarding than any of the challenges we face every day.” At the sanctuary, the team provides a balanced diet, dry and cooked food, for animals. But when the lockdown happened, donations fell, deliveries were hit, and dry food went out of stock. But things changed when Prime Minister Narendra Modi talked about adoption of strays on his Mann ki Baat programme. “One good thing I observed during the lockdown was that the number of disabled cases dropped drastically, owing to the empty roads,” Kaveri says. “But that changed once the lockdown was lifted.” Since puppies cannot be accommodated with larger dogs, Kaveri and Team Sophie Memorial are opening a rehabilitation unit for puppies before 2021. “Puppies with spinal and brain injuries can be admitted for rehabilitation and therapy,” she says. The crowdfunding campaign on Milaap is still ongoing; the idea is to set up a free veterinary hospital to provide free treatment for all animals.

Jimmy The Officer Service Dog

Upon a first meeting, Jimmy rushes over to a stranger, bestowing incessant kisses before setting himself down to cast an intent stare, seemingly into the person’s soul.

Jimmy’s deep brown eyes send a message that he cares; the premature grey on his face signals he understands what you’re going through, despite how terrible it is.

After all, he’s been there himself. Abandoned at a young age and later found emaciated, Jimmy narrowly escaped death at a high-kill animal shelter in Missouri.

Now, Jimmy has a new life and purpose, bringing comfort to crime victims and their survivors at the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

Jimmy is a 3 1/2-year-old hound mix who is one of the prosecutor’s newest staff members, assigned to the victim-witness unit. As a therapy dog trained to sense when a person is under stress, his job is to put crime victims at ease when they come into the prosecutor’s office to talk about their cases.

“If you sit on the floor with him, he will lick you and just love you all up,’’ said Carol Froberg, Jimmy’s co-handler and victim-witness director for the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.

In that capacity, Jimmy will be blazing a trail in New Jersey.

While other prosecutor’s offices in the state sometimes contract with outside agencies to bring in therapy dogs to work with crime victims, Jimmy is believed to be the first canine assigned to work full-time as a therapy dog at a prosecutor’s office in New Jersey, Froberg said.

As such, Jimmy joins more than 200 therapy dogs working in courthouse settings or at prosecutor or district attorney offices nationwide, Froberg said.

“I’m happy to be breaking this ground in victim-witness advocacy,’’ said Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer, adding that on his second day on the job as prosecutor in October 2018, Froberg approached him about getting a dog for the victim-witness unit.

“Working here for so long with victims, we wanted to do something extra for them and make the process a little bit less difficult for them, if that’s even possible,’’ Froberg said.

“You’re starting to see therapy dogs everywhere in schools,’’ she said. “Any time there’s a mass shooting, they bring in therapy dogs just because of the impact that they have on victims. We wanted to do something like that here and make the process a little bit easier for (victims.) It opens up communication. It’s a distraction for people. It lets them be a little less nervous and, that way, they can tell their stories better if they’re a little more calm.’’

Dog Named Zoey Is Missing