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Up until five years ago, I had only heard about therapy dogs. I didn’t know anyone personally who had a dog involved in that that kind of work.
I had heard there was a program at Trumbull Memorial Hospital, but I hadn’t seen it in action. Then one day, while working at Northside Medical Center, my boss asked me if I wanted to go with her to greet the dogs! I leaped from my seat – who wouldn’t want to go see some dogs?
There they were – five owners, five dogs and a pet rat huddled in the hoody of one of the owners – he was a secret. The dogs were all sizes, from about 15 pounds up to 120 pounds. All the dogs were very well behaved and really seemed glad to see each other. They waited expectantly until it was time to go into the mental health unit. They loved their work, that was obvious, and were very good at it.
When the mental health unit closed, my boss and I knew we didn’t want the Pet Therapy Program to end, so we invited everyone to continue visiting in other areas of the hospital.
As I got to know the ladies better, I nicknamed them the Dog Mamas.
Vilma O’Neill came with one of three dogs – Trillion, Ariel or Bucky – all Rhodesian Ridgebacks. Their breed originated in Africa where they stalked lions. Vilma would tell people about their heritage then comment – “You can see what a good job they’ve done. You don’t notice any lions on the streets, now, do you?” Everyone would chuckle.
Mary Zalac was the most experienced of the group having been a long-time visitor to Tod Children’s Hospital with her little treasure, Maggie. Maggie could do 24 different tricks, some involving a mini-piano and a scooter.
Then there was Christina Garrett, with her two big, beautiful Bernese Mountain dogs, Rowan and Orion. Rowan was the most laid back dog I’d ever seen. He enjoyed being rubbed and scratched. When his turn was over, he’d literally flop on the floor like a big hairy rug and enjoy the coolness of the tile. Adding to the fun of it was how all of the dogs, and their mamas, dressed up in costumes for each holiday!
When the Dog Mamas arrived each week, the most excited to see them were the employees. There were always dog treats and lots of love to start the visit off right! After employees, our first official stop was always the Family Waiting Room, filled with concerned family members waiting for their loved one to come out of surgery. They enjoyed the diversion: some furry relief from the stress of the day. Next we visited patient rooms, but only if the patient felt well enough.
O’Neill also used an area of the hospital to run certification clinics for owners and their dogs who wanted to join the hospital’s therapy program. Certification requires that dogs meet five health requirements and can pass a 13 step test. They must be at least two years old and their owner should be 18 years of age or older. An owner younger than 18 years old must be accompanied by their legal guardian. It’s also important to note that not every dog is suited to become a therapy dog; some do not achieve certification.
O’Neill and Garrett, both TDI certification specialists, still offer periodic clinics to certify new dogs. The next clinic will be held at A Place for Paws in Columbiana on May 6.
Giving their efforts a ‘home’ also became incentive enough for them to start Therapy Dogs International, Mahoning Valley Chapter No. 236. Membership is open to anyone in Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana counties.
One of the services the club will provide to newly certified teams is to arrange visitation placements in a facility near their home area. It is important to make visitation as convenient for those visiting as it is for those being visited.
While the local chapter does not yet have their own website, you can learn more about TDI International by visiting www.tdi-dog.org. You can also receive the Mahoning Valley Chapter’s personalized brochure by calling O’Neill at 330.207.7340.
Jagunic can be reached at editorial@tribtoday.com