Meeting Extraordinary People and Animals

This past weekend, I was very fortunate to meet two pet partners from the local hospital. I interviewed Beth and Dugan, a gorgeous red merle Aussie. Dugan Stuart is one of the most relaxed Aussies I've met. He sat at our feet as I listened to Beth describe their experiences with visiting. True to Aussie form, Dugan prefers meet and greet, moving around to meet as many people as he can.

Peggy and Bobby Lee, a remarkable and noble chocolate lab, were the other interviewees. Bobby Lee is blind, and right now, their only pet partner. Peggy and her husband have adopted five labs, three of them blind. Bobby Lee has been with the program for several years and enjoys visiting at the Chemical Dependency Center. He enjoys being the center of attention.

Thank you to both families, for letting me get to know (and interview) such amazing people and animals. I am grateful to you both!

Kody's Rescue

We met at the Lubbock, Texas animal shelter. She was a tiny, fuzzy black and tan puppy padding around a filthy, mouse-infested pen. Her two siblings wanted nothing to do with her. Toddling around her enclosure, a big smile on her black, fuzzy face, she was the happy, outgoing one. Her sweet face held big soulful brown eyes, melting everyone who picked her up. I watched as others picked her up and tried to cuddle her. She squirmed, wanting to be put down. I made a mental note to come back and visit with her.

After walking around the shelter, not connecting with anyone, I came back and picked her up. That was it. She buried herself into me, her little paws hugging me tight. I could feel her wanting with all her heart to come home with me. She adopted me on the spot.

We held each other for along time, until the staff started to shoo me out so they could close. I could not adopt her right then. She and her siblings could be claimed for three more days. I could, if she was still there, adopt her day after tomorrow. Satisfied that no one could, or would, take her, I arrived back at the shelter two days later. I was at the door as they unlocked it to open. I told the clerk which puppy I wanted to adopt.

She said those puppies were sick and anti-social. They were to be put down that morning. I protested and won. Scooping her up and holding her tight, I filled out the adoption papers. At her vet appointment, he said she was healthy and happy - a wonderful choice! A little worming and ear mite medicine and she was good as new.

A tiny, four pound ball of fluff was now part of my family! Frasier, my three-year-old male cat, was not quite as enthusiastic. She loved him immediately, offering him her new toys with a furiously wagging tail. Nope, this was not his idea of a roomie. A social guy, he was really hoping for a little girl CAT…C-A-T. Not D-O-G. Mommm, this is not what I had in mind…

It's begun! My book Warm Hearts, Fuzzy Paws is coming together!

My goal is to bring extraordinary animals' stories alive, sharing inspiring and heartwarming tales about service animals and their therapy work, especially those animals rescued and adopted from bad situations. How they blossomed and give back so much joy is amazing. My dream for this book is to explore and express the depths of animals' giving and forgiving souls.

While the book's primary focus will be around dogs, the majority of therapy animals, this is an equal-species book! I would love to hear from the families of visiting cats, rabbits, llamas, ponies...everyone!
My crew, Kody, Frasier, and Daphne are helping me with this project. Sort of. Kody tends to sleep through most of the work. Frasier "helps" me type. Daphne provides moral support.

A little background...
Therapy and visiting animals are animals that train and pass rigorous testing to be allowed to visit patients in hospitals. They must be able to remain calm in a variety of circumstances and new smells, as well as enjoy meeting new people in these strange new environments.

For more information about service and therapy animals, please contact the Delta Society.