Therapy dog brings smiles to elders (but this story has a sad side too)

Backwoods

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The pictures of Shadow bringing smiles to older folks who were affected by Hurricane Sandy will likely make you smile, too ... but how sad that the dog will no longer be cheering these folks unless more funding is found.

Me and my Shadow: Manhattan Beach nursing home seeking donations to fund therapy dog visits

Sandy-sressed seniors got comfort from pooch

It’s a dog-gone shame.



Money has run out to fund a therapy dog’s visits to a Manhattan Beach nursing home hard hit by Hurricane Sandy. ...



“He’s a stress-buster for the Sandy-traumatized,” said Nancy Sondag, director of therapeutic recreation at Menorah - which had to send 34 of its 276 residents to live for a month in other nursing homes in Coney Island and the Bronx after the hurricane. ...
read more and see great pics at: http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york...ons-fund-therapy-dog-visits-article-1.1324465
 
Why do they need money for the therapy dog to visit the people? I have a Labrador retriever that is a certified therapy dog and we don't charge anything to visit people in nursing homes, the hospital, schools, etc. Tonight my dog and I went with a group of 15dogs and their owners to a large nursing home and visited the patients in their rooms. We knock on each door and ask if the patient in the room wants a visit from a therapy dog, and if they do, we go in and visit them. Next Monday we will be taking our therapy dogs to a hospital and visiting the patients on 3 floors of the hospital. I've never heard of therapy dog visits costing anything except to the dog owner for gas to get to the place where the visit will be and training costs for the dogs, etc. The dog owner pays those expenses.
 
Why do they need money for the therapy dog to visit the people? I have a Labrador retriever that is a certified therapy dog and we don't charge anything to visit people in nursing homes, the hospital, schools, etc. Tonight my dog and I went with a group of 15dogs and their owners to a large nursing home and visited the patients in their rooms. We knock on each door and ask if the patient in the room wants a visit from a therapy dog, and if they do, we go in and visit them. Next Monday we will be taking our therapy dogs to a hospital and visiting the patients on 3 floors of the hospital. I've never heard of therapy dog visits costing anything except to the dog owner for gas to get to the place where the visit will be and training costs for the dogs, etc. The dog owner pays those expenses.

As it should be!
 
Why do they need money for the therapy dog to visit the people? I have a Labrador retriever that is a certified therapy dog and we don't charge anything to visit people in nursing homes, the hospital, schools, etc. Tonight my dog and I went with a group of 15dogs and their owners to a large nursing home and visited the patients in their rooms. We knock on each door and ask if the patient in the room wants a visit from a therapy dog, and if they do, we go in and visit them. Next Monday we will be taking our therapy dogs to a hospital and visiting the patients on 3 floors of the hospital. I've never heard of therapy dog visits costing anything except to the dog owner for gas to get to the place where the visit will be and training costs for the dogs, etc. The dog owner pays those expenses.

bbm: I was kind of wondering that myself, Jan, but didn't know how the therapy dog thing generally works -- thanks for your input.

Mostly I was just wanting to share the pics of Shadow and her friends!

I do hope that either Shadow or another canine friend will keep visiting these folks -- seems like it does really mean a lot to them.

Bless you and your Lab for the work you do!
 
I was a Therapy Dog Incorporated Tester/Observer for years~ I also had four dogs that were TDI Registered~ I did American Kennel Club~ Canine Good Citizenship Testing also~ NO Therapy Dog organization allows for the handler to be compensated for their visits~ The handler is a volunteer and pays yearly dues~ Money is raised by donations to the org. and from selling products for the dogs, IE: Patches~ Vests, Collars ETC~
I am wondering if this is a scam that all these seniors are being told this dog and handler need MONEY to continue visits to the elderly~~
 

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