WARREN — You might think you are seeing Krypto, the dog from the summer blockbuster movie “Superman,” when you see a small white dog walking around one of the local SCOPE locations. But it is just Snowball.

And similar to Krypto, the Shih Tzu / poodle mix, aka Shih-Poo, in his role as a therapy service dog, is a superhero in his own way.

For the past year and a half, Snowball has visited Trumbull County SCOPE locations, where he greets staff, SCOPE members and guests, and even attends some of the exercise classes.

“Snowball is calm, and he loves people,” said SCOPE Executive Director Mike Wilson.

He and his wife, Bonnie, are Snowball’s human parents.

During the COVID-19 shutdown, Wilson said there was a lot of free time to work with Snowball.

“Snowball, Bonnie and I were evaluated by Jeff of CIA Dog Training of Warren and we worked with an older couple who sheltered and trained Shih Tzus. I then took training and went online for obedience service task training, therapy and companion dogs,” Wilson said.

“Many of our members say his visits make them so happy,” Wilson said. “If I come to a center, they don’t always say, ‘Hi.’ They say, ‘Where is Snowball?'”.

The 9-year-old Shih-Poo is no longer an energetic puppy. His tranquil demeanor allows Snowball to better relate with SCOPE members and staff.

“He is so sweet and lovable. Everyone looks for him when they come to SCOPE. He is an important part of the center,” said SCOPE member Paula McVicker of Leavittsburg.

Because of his training, the small hypoallergenic dog is intuitive to the feelings that members may be experiencing that day.

“I was having a rough day last week. I was missing my husband, who had passed away. Snowball must have noticed. He sat at my feet all during lunch. I cuddled him and I felt better,” McVicker said.

SCOPE member Paula Kocek of Warren notices a difference in her life when she interacts with Snowball at the Warren SCOPE.

“He can tell when something is wrong or nothing is wrong. I have bipolar depression disorder. He is so soothing to me and helps me calm down,” she said.

The four-legged furball slipped into superhero mode during a recent incident at the Warren location.

“I heard him bark. He does not usually bark. Everyone came running from their offices. When I got to where he was, he had his paw on a woman who had tripped and fell. He did exactly what he was trained to do. He alerted us and he stayed with her until help arrived,” Wilson said.

SCOPE member Susan Carney of Warren said that every SCOPE should have a Snowball at their center.

“He lifts all our spirits and he gives us unconditional love,” she said.