I got involved in pet therapy in 2018 after I retired from nursing. My first therapy dog was a registered chocolate lab named Maddie. After lots of training and passing requirements and tests, we worked as a team for the organization Love On A Leash. We visited Trinity Assisted Living, The Commons, Bass Baptist Hospital, Meadowlake Behavioral Health Hospital, and St. Mary's Hospital in Enid, Oklahoma.
After wonderfully serving as a pet therapy dog, Maddie unfortunately passed away from lymphoma in 2021.
After some time, I began the process all over again with Sadie, my registered yellow lab. We also work as a team for Love On A Leash and visit Trinity Assisted Living, The Commons, Greenbrier Assisted Living, and Baptist Village in Enid.
A therapy pet's primary function is to brighten someone's day. The interaction with an animal brings back wonderful memories for many who can no longer care for a pet of their own. Also, people who experience physical or mental health struggles get tremendous benefit from petting or just spending time with a therapy pet.
Sadie helps provide comfort and stress relief and brings such joy and smiles to all the people she interacts with. She loves to be loved on, but also has a great time playing fetch and takes turns placing a ball in everyone's lap who is willing to play. Her presence is meaningful, productive, and so heartwarming.
There are many stories of how she has helped improve someone's mood, brightened a day for someone having a hard time, improved someone's loneliness, or simply loved on someone who needed some individual attention. The time, expense, and patience it took to train her has been worth it all. She truly makes a difference in people's lives, and it is heartwarming for me to get to be a part of it.
