In praise of therapy dogs
In Memory of Erza, loving Borzoi who crossed the Rainbow Bridge on February 5, 2024
Most people who know me know I’m not an animal person. I like them fine, but I don’t get excited when I see a cat or insist on petting dogs in the park. Growing up, I had a dog since second grade, but they lived outside.
We lived on farmland, and my brother and I helped Mom feed my grandfather’s cows. My Dad had hunting dogs. And my Granny had chickens. I suppose you could say I have a pragmatic, less sentimental, view of animals. I will admit to being temporarily traumatized when my aunt and Granny decided to dispatch with keeping those birds. Preschoolers, my brother and I were enlisted to pluck the feathers off the birds my Granny and aunt beheaded and then dipped in a hot cauldron of water. He and I did not eat chicken legs for a long time after that. But I digress.
I have come to have a new appreciation for animals since my mom’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
At Mom’s memory care facility, they had several different dogs who stopped by for visits. Her social activities director had a chihuahua named Millie who was a huge hit. They held birthday parties for Millie, and the residents took turns holding her, clad in her pink tutu, for photos.
The lovely music therapist had a Borzoi named Erza who came with her to Mom’s facility. A gentle giant, Ezra went around to greet each resident during the opening song, laid at the therapist’s feet during the program, and then went around during the closing song to give each resident some love before leaving.
During one visit when my daughter, Alicia, and I were there for music therapy, EMTs came to transport a resident who was having a challenging day. Frightened, the resident became agitated and loud as the kind medical staff tried to help her. Ezra came over to Alicia and another resident. That sweet dog comforted them, sensing Alicia was nervous. She said petting Ezra kept her calm.
On more than one occasion when I attended Dementia Alliance of NC’s annual Caregiver’s Conference, the staff had trainers bring therapy dogs to hang out in the lobby. The helpful and informative event could be emotional and heavy. If things got to be too much, you could go pet a dog during or in-between sessions. I took advantage of that more than once.
And now in college, my daughter is once again being given love and support by dogs. A wonderful group called Free Moms stops by her campus once a week, bringing treats, flowers and dogs to share love with students. My daughter says their visit is the highlight of her week. She always sends me selfies with the dogs and knows them all by name. At the end of last semester, a professor asked the class to write about something that had helped them in their first months of college. Alicia wrote about the Free Moms and their dogs.
In fact, I have been able to watch the journey of a special dog up close this year. My boss is a first-time puppy trainer for Canine Companions. Jules, a labrador retriever, has been an officemate in Capitol Broadcasting’s Human Resources department for over a year now. My boss will take Jules to Florida for the next leg of her training in May. If Jules passes the next rigorous part of the process, she will become a service dog for someone. If not, she could still be a therapy dog. What a gift.
Besides dogs, I must give a shout out to Georgia the cow, who was a hit at Mom’s facility. Yes, they had a cow come visit! And Phoenix, the mounted patrol horse at my daughter’s college. It is amazing the instant calm seeing and petting these animals can bring.
Finally, I wrote this blogpost as a tribute to Ezra. He passed over the Rainbow Bridge on February 5, 2024, surrounded by a few special people who sang his “farewell” song one last time before he went to sleep permanently. He leaves a legacy of love and care, making a positive impact on so many lives.
No, I am still not really an animal person. But my love and appreciation for these amazing creatures is genuine and deep.
