Comet And Kaylee

I N T E R A C T I O N S
Stories of lives improved by positive human & animal interactions.
2013 Annual Report
Things We Like
Around The Country
M A G A Z I N E
Comet And Kaylee
An Uncommon Therapy Team
SUMMER 2014
Pet Partners Announces
PetSmart Sponsorship
Pet Partners is required to file financial
information with several states. Ten of those
states will provide copies to their residents
upon request:
California: Pet Partners is registered as ‘Pet
Partners Therapy Animals’ in the state of
California.
Florida: A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION
MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF
CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLLFREE, WITHIN THE STATE, 1-800-HELP-FLA.
REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY
THE STATE. CH3226.
Maryland: For the cost of copies and postage,
Office of the Secretary of State, State House,
Annapolis, MD 21401.
Mississippi: The official registration and
financial information of Pet Partners may
be obtained from the Mississippi Secretary
of State’s office by calling 1-888-236-6167.
Registration by the Secretary of State does not
imply endorsement.
Missouri: Pet Partners is registered as ‘Pet
Partners Nonprofit Corporation’ in the state of
Missouri.
New Jersey: INFORMATION FILED WITH THE
ATTORNEY GENERAL CONCERNING THIS
CHARITABLE SOLICITATION and the percentage of contributions received by the charity
during the last reporting period that were
dedicated to the charitable purpose MAY BE
OBTAINED FROM THE ATTORNEY GENERAL
OF THE STATE OF NEW JERSEY BY CALLING
973-504-6215 and is available on the internet at
www.njconsumeraffairs.gov/ocp.htm#charity.
REGISTRATION WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT.
New York: Office of the Attorney General,
Department of Law, Charities Bureau, 120
Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
North Carolina: Financial information about
this organization and a copy of its license are
available from the State Solicitation Licensing
Branch at 1-888-830-4989. The license is not an
endorsement by the state. Pet Partners is registered as ‘Pet Partners Nonprofit Corporation’
in North Carolina.
North Dakota: Pet Partners is registered as ‘Pet
Partners Therapy Animals’ in North Dakota.
Pennsylvania: The official registration and
financial information of Pet Partners may be
obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of
State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania,
1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply
endorsement.
Virginia: State Division of Consumer Affairs,
Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, PO Box 1163, Richmond, VA 23218.
Washington: Charities Division, Office of the
Secretary of State, State of Washington, Olympia, WA 98504-0422, 1-800-332-4483.
West Virginia: Residents may obtain a
summary of the registration and financial
documents from the Secretary of State, State
Capitol, Charleston, WV 25305.
REGISTRATION WITH A STATE AGENCY DOES
NOT CONSTITUTE OR IMPLY ENDORSEMENT,
APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THAT
STATE.
BOARD LIST
Brenda Bax, Chair
Mary Craig, DVM, MBA Vice Chair
Raquel Lackey, CPA, CMA, CFE, Treasurer
Jackie Gunby, Secretary
Jack Barron, Jr.
Winona Burgess, DVM, MBA, CPA
Lynnette Eastlake, MBA
Stacey Evans
Dr. Aubrey Fine, EdD
Laird Goodman, DVM
Dr. Rebecca A. Johnson, PhD, RN, FAAN, FNAP
Derrick Kraemer
Laird Pisto
Professor Phillip Tedeschi
p.2
Pet Partners’ Therapy Animal Program registers and
supports volunteers with their pets as therapy teams
to visit people in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and
other facilities in their community. A national nonprofit,
Pet Partners offers top quality visiting pet programs
with training opportunities that prepare our volunteers
to succeed.
HONORARY BOARD LIST
Sophie Engelhard Craighead, Chair
Marty Becker, DVM
Nan Bush
Kathy Vignos Folson
Carol and Scott Glenn
Linda Hackett
Chandi Heffner
Karen LeFrak
Carolynn D. Loacker
Elise B. Lufkin
William McCulloch, DVM
Mary Tyler Moore
Victoria Newhouse
Jeannie Nordstrom
Jane Dale Owen
Annette de la Renta
Jonah Shacknai
Sarah W. Sweatt
Irving Taylor, MD
Dave Underriner
Bruce Weber
Andrew Weil, MD
Betty White
Joanne Woodward
PUBLICATION CREDITS
Editor: Glen Miller
Contributors: Kris Betker, Katharine W. Harding,
Paula Scott, Alexandra Sifferlin
Graphic Design: Wolken Communica
Cover Photography: Dani Weiss
Pet Partners
425.679.5500
info@petpartners.org
www.petpartners.org
Pet Partners, a leader in promoting the health benefits
of the human-animal bond, is pleased to announce a
new sponsorship from PetSmart, the largest specialty
pet retailer of services and solutions for the lifetime
needs of pets.
Pet Partners is committed to creating training tools
relevant to the situations, individuals and challenges our
volunteers may be faced with as they conduct animal-assisted interactions.
CONTENTS
PetSmart Sponsorship 1
Comet And Kaylee
2
2013 Annual Report
15
Philia’s Friend
19
The Dog Will See You Now
20
Departments
Around The Country
4
Saying Goodbye
22
Things We Like
25
Honor and Memorial Donations
26
PetSmart’s sponsorship will help support enhanced
training and continuing education by Pet Partners to
11,000 volunteer therapy animal teams. “Pet Partners
is proud to partner with the world-renowned retailer,
PetSmart,” said Brenda Bax, Pet Partners’ Board Chair.
“We hope to further develop this relationship with the
intent of benefiting the clients we serve, our volunteers
and the animals that give us all comfort and happiness.”
PetSmart was able to provide this donation through
its PetSmart Gives Back initiative. PetSmart Gives
Back partners with national and local organizations that
enrich the lives of people through the power of pets.
“At PetSmart, caring about pets, people and our
communities is at the heart of everything we do,” said
David Lenhardt, PetSmart Chief Executive Officer.
“We’re proud to partner with Pet Partners in an effort
to help more people heal through the power of pets.”
About PetSmart
PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM) is the largest specialty pet retailer of services and solutions for the
lifetime needs of pets. The company employs approximately 53,000 associates and operates more than
1,333 pet stores in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico, over 199 in-store PetSmart® PetsHotel®
dog and cat boarding facilities and is a leading online provider of pet supplies and pet care information
(http://www.petsmart.com). PetSmart provides a broad range of competitively priced pet food and pet
products; and offers dog training, pet grooming, pet boarding, PetSmart Doggie Day Camp SM day care
services and pet adoption services. Through its in-store pet adoption partnership with PetSmart Charities® and PetSmart Charities® of Canada, PetSmart has helped save the lives of more than 5.7 million
pets since 1994. PetSmart Charities, Inc. and PetSmart Charities of Canada (collectively “PetSmart
Charities”) are independent, nonprofit organizations that save the lives of homeless pets and reduce
shelter intake through spay and neuter efforts. In 2013, nearly 440,000 dogs and cats found homes
through PetSmart Charities’ adoption centers in all PetSmart stores and by sponsoring community adoption events. PetSmart Charities is the leader in granting money to help pets in need, with more than $34
million given in 2013 throughout North America.
1
COMET AND KAYLEE
An Uncommon Therapy Team
By Kris Betker
The minivan in the McDonald’s drive-through line looked like any
other until it reached the window and the cashier got a peek inside.
Reclining in the back of the van was a 275 -pound llama named
Comet, patiently waiting for Kaylee, his owner, to hand over the
apple slices.
The two are very close. Comet and Kaylee met when the llama
was only five days old – small enough for her to pick him up and
carry him around. Kaylee had been helping out on a farm, and
watched as the young black and white llama struggled to grow. His
breeder wasn’t convinced he would make it because he was so
small; Comet was so passive, the other baby llamas pushed him
out of the food bucket. At about four months of age, Comet started
getting sick. And even though he eventually learned to stand his
ground while eating – planting himself right in the trough – Kaylee
knew he would do better on his own.
So when he was 10 months old, Comet went home with Kaylee,
who had already raised alpacas on the family farm for a number
of years. Comet started
gaining weight and grew
into a gentle, curious
three-year-old, who loves
to bob his head up and
down in a minivan version of hide and seek.
Kaylee, a senior at
Tahoma High School
in Maple Valley, Washington, connected with
llama guru Niki Kuklenski
through 4-H, and got
hooked on the idea of
training Comet to be a
therapy animal.
“Comet is so laid
back, he seemed like
he would be perfect for
therapy work,” Kaylee
said.
Niki and her husband
Jeff own JNK Llamas in
Bellingham, and Niki has
been showing llamas
since the mid- 80s. She
owns three registered therapy llamas, including two that were
recently evaluated at Pet Partners in Bellevue. Niki wrote the animal
therapy evaluation criteria Pet Partners uses for llamas, and was on
hand to advise as seven llama teams – including Comet and Kaylee
– went through the testing process.
Mary Margaret Callahan, Pet Partners’ National Director for Program Development, said 12 llama teams are now registered with
Pet Partners, and she is excited about adding more to the agency’s
pool of registered therapy animal teams. Dogs, cats and miniature
horses make up the majority of Pet Partners teams, but Callahan
says llamas are unique.
“There is definitely a surprise factor,” she said. “I know that if
I were recuperating somewhere and a llama walked in, it would
certainly take my mind off of things.”
During the evaluation, each of the llamas and their handlers
went through a checklist of fixed criteria and role-playing exercises
to see whether the teams are ready to do therapy visits in nursing
homes, hospitals and
other settings.
Both handlers and
their llamas were evaluated on such things as
walking through a crowd,
backing up, standing in
place for 30 seconds,
staying calm in busy and
noisy environments, and
dealing with exuberant
strangers. They even
were tested to see how
they would respond
when a dog entered the
room, and whether they
could walk past a bouquet of flowers without
stopping to investigate.
Mary Stratton, one
of three Pet Partners
evaluators that day, said
she was essentially
looking for three things:
“Do I feel safe? Does the
animal team inspire con-
“I know that if I were
recuperating somewhere
and a llama walked in, it
would certainly take my
mind off of things.”
fidence? And is the animal reliable,
predictable, and controllable?”
The Bellevue evaluation was only
Mary’s second with llamas – one
of the challenges in increasing the
number of registered teams is finding
evaluators who are willing to take it
on “As evaluators, we just have to
remember that we’re representing
the public, and in a way, it’s best if
we don’t know how the animals are
supposed to behave,” she explained.
“Because if I’m nervous, knowing
nothing, that’s not inspiring confidence. I think that’s the biggest
takeaway I have.”
Llamas that pass are determined to
be either “Complex” or “Predictable,”
based on their score. The ratings
indicate where the teams can go: a
“Complex” rating means the llama is
registered to visit any setting, while a
“Predictable” rating includes limitations. Once approved, the llama
teams must be re-evaluated every two years.
Niki said one of the reasons llamas are a great addition to animal
therapy teams is that they tend to be aloof, which can be reassuring
to someone who isn’t used to being around animals. They also have
a way of sensing the needs of others and are intuitive and curious
with new people and surroundings.
Niki tells the story of a visit to Camp Korey in Washington state,
which serves families dealing with childhood illness and serious
medical conditions. She and one of her therapy llamas met a young
child who was confined to a blanket on the floor. Niki’s llama got on
his knees and crawled up to the child, sitting down on the blanket
with him.
During another visit, Niki and her llama, Flight, spent time with a
group of kids with skeletal dysplasia who were unable to reach up
and pet her.
“Flight laid down with them for an
hour and a half,” Niki said. “She let
all of them sit and pet her. She knew
they couldn’t reach her.”
Acclimating llamas to a variety of
environments is a significant part of
training them for therapy visits, and
Kaylee and Comet have visited parks
and other public settings. But it was
a recent visit to a nursing home that
made the biggest impact.
“It was really rewarding seeing
people respond – their eyes would
just light up,” Kaylee said.
Kaylee’s grandmother recently
started a homeless shelter, and
Kaylee is eager to begin taking
Comet to visit the residents; sharing
the comfort that llamas can bring to
people who are going through hard
times.
Unfortunately, although Comet did
fairly well during his first evaluation, he didn’t quite make the cut
and the pair will have to come back and try again. Kaylee said she
was a little nervous during the testing and that Comet likely picked
up on her feelings. She isn’t deterred, and plans to keep practicing
until they’re an official Pet Partners team.
Meanwhile, Kaylee has begun taking classes at Green River
Community College and is planning to become a veterinary technician – hopefully attending Washington State University.
Also in her future is a commitment to sharing Comet with as
many people as possible as a Pet Partners team.
“I love the happiness that animals bring. I want to spread that to
other people,” she said.
Photography by Dani Weiss
2
3
AROUND THE COUNTRY
PET PARTNERS TEAMS AT WORK
Northeast
Carol Soeldner and Buzz
Paws for People - Boston, Massachusetts
Carol Soeldner, a member of Pet
Partners’ Massachusetts affiliate
Paws for People, was asked to
participate in “healing” sessions
organized by the Boston Athletic
Association and the Red Cross
after the Boston Marathon
bombings last year.
During the sessions, four
teams were positioned in
different areas of the auditorium,
with Carol and Buzz in the front.
Other teams (left to right) were Lisa Freeman with Penny, Debbie
Linder, April Paul with Turtle, and Sarah Gardner with Mia. The other
teams stayed outside to provide comfort during session breaks. A
team of mental health professionals from the Federal Department
of Public Health helped with the event,
along with members of the Red Cross
disaster unit. The psychiatrist led an active
discussion with the 40 participants who
were primarily medical professionals. All
had been volunteers during the marathon,
and five were stationed very close to where
the bombs went off. Session participants
learned that during the first 22 minutes
following the explosion, 97 people were
triaged and safely evacuated to hospitals.
Carol reports that it was a very
emotional discussion. One of the participants spent the entire
session petting Buzz – a woman Carol learned was the doctor who
had led the medical teams at the finish line. She thanked Carol for
being there, and said Buzz’s presence really helped her relax.
The session in the auditorium lasted nearly two hours and
the teams received very positive feedback about having the dogs
present. Carol said, “it hit home to me that no matter what I do
with my dogs, how many titles they earn and at which end, by far
the most important one is the AKC Therapy Dog title that we earned
together – Trixie, Banjo and now Buzz. We sure stepped out of our
comfort zone that night, and Buzz rose to the occasion.”
4
Patricia Garland and Dolly
New Haven, Connecticut
Dolly, an 8-year-old Pembroke Welsh Corgi, has visited Connecticut
Hospice and Yale New Haven Hospital with her handler Patricia
Garland every week for more than five years. During one visit in
the Neuro-Science wing of the
hospital, a nurse suggested
that Patricia and Dolly visit one
particular patient. When the team
walked into the room, they found
a man seated in a chair with his
head drooped. His wife looked up
and smiled sadly, shook her head,
and said her husband probably
would not respond to Dolly, but
it might be worth a try. “I took
hold of the still unresponsive
man’s hand,” said Patricia, “gently placing it on the dog. Before I
knew it, the patient lifted his head and began to speak. He had severe
aphasia, so I could understand nothing of what he said. But he was
smiling, addressing Dolly, and it didn’t matter. His wife looked on
in amazement. And with tears in her eyes, she proclaimed that this
was the first time in a month that she had seen her husband react to
anything.”
Therapy Dogs Provide Comfort and Affection to Tufts
Students During Exams
Reprinted with permission from Tufts University School
of Arts & Sciences news
It was insanely fabulous,” says Laurie Sabol, Tisch Library Instruction
Coordinator, of the crowd of students who showed up on Friday,
December 13 to play with four dogs, brought in to help students
de-stress during exam week. “We thought twenty or thirty students
would show up and instead we had over 200,” said Megan Kiely
Mueller, Research Assistant Professor at Tufts’ Cummings School of
Veterinary Medicine, who coordinated with Sabol on the project.
The dogs—Jett, Penn, Sophie and Ben E.—are part of Paws for
People, the Cummings School affiliate of Pet Partners, a national
organization that registers therapy animals.
Among the faculty and staff from both campuses who joined
the students, were Cummings faculty advisor Lisa Freeman, who
brought her dog, Penny, and Dr. Deb Linder, who supervises the
Paws for People program at Cummings.
“The event showed how connected people are to animals,” says
Mueller. “For students at Tufts, there’s a strong desire to see animals,
pet them and talk to them. Many students miss their dogs at home.
It’s a huge part of their daily lives that doesn’t exist at school.”
“We had students who said they’d been waiting all day for this,”
says Sabol. “They knew at 4:30 p.m. they could take a break and
see the dogs.” Although therapy dogs have visited students at
Tufts’ dorms in the past during finals week, adds Sabol, the library
was a perfect place for the event as so many students are already
on site during final exams.
Sabol contacted Mueller
about a collaboration between
Paws for People and the Tisch
Library after hearing about
a similar event at another
university library, and reading
about Mueller’s research on
human animal interaction in
TuftsNow. Mueller’s research
focuses on how animals and
people help each other and the
ways human-animal interactions
mold healthy development in childhood and adolescence—from
building character to community involvement to success in the
classroom.
Therapy dogs are trained to provide affection and comfort to
people, and often visit hospitals, nursing homes and schools.
Obedience is part of the training, but dogs are tested for their
aptitude for therapy work. Says Mueller, “They must be able to
tolerate heavy, clumsy petting and abrupt noises.”
Mueller owns one of the four therapy dogs, Jett, a black
Labrador retriever mix. Jett just passed his therapy dog evaluation in
November, and Mueller says he relished “having a couple hundred
students there to greet him at the library—a dream come true.”
Donald Paul Smith
and Brasil
Darien, Connecticut
Don Smith was contacted by a
family with an autistic child who
was petrified of dogs after an
incident with another dog. The
first time the team visited a year
and a half ago, the 12-year-old
boy jumped up on a table and
screamed. Don, who has been registered with Brasil for nearly six
years and has logged more than 3,500 hours of service, was gradually
able to get the boy to interact with his friendly Whippet. Since then,
Don and Brasil have continued to visit every single week, and many
times the young man has opted to spend time with Brasil over other
activities and opportunities in order to “have his visit” with his newfound friend.
Midwest
Sue Hicks and Jordi
Joplin, Missouri
A nurse for an inpatient rehabilitation unit shared a story about Pet
Partners therapy team Sue Hicks and her Labradoodle Jordi. Despite
the staff’s efforts, one patient in this unit wasn’t progressing. He had
suffered a stroke that left his right side paralyzed and he was aphasic;
the only words he could say were “yes” and “no.” He never smiled.
He wasn’t eating or drinking enough. And when he wasn’t working
with therapists, he stayed in bed with his eyes closed. He was being
taken care of physically, but his spirit seemed unreachable.
One day, Sue brought Jordi to visit the patients. As they moved
down the hall, the nurse asked the difficult patient if he wanted
a visit from them. “He looked past me when he saw Jordi in the
doorway,” she said. “I watched his face light up - I can’t remember
when I’ve seen such spontaneous and genuine delight. He reached
out his left hand and Sue brought Jordi to the bedside, where he
just kept looking at her and smiling and patting her head. As I
watched from the hall, I realized the dog had accomplished, in a
moment, what none of us had been able to do in all the days of
our caring for and working with this man. Somehow her presence,
her gaze, her healing instinct drew this man out of his despair and
brought him back to himself.”
After the visit, the patient began to eat and drink. He smiled
more, made eye contact and interacted with the staff. His wife
started to bring their little dog from home, and he kept him close by
his side during the visits. He made more progress in his therapies,
and eventually went home.
“That Jordi healed something in this patient, I have no doubt,”
the nurse said. “He was a changed man after their encounter. It
was as if she enchanted and charmed him into a healthier state of
being. It was a beautiful thing, and it both inspired and humbled me.”
Marisa Mancino and Vinnie
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Marisa Mancino and her Dachshund Vinnie met patient Mackenzie
Roach more than two years ago at Akron Children’s Hospital. She was
eight years old at the time and she’d had surgery for a benign brain
tumor, but then developed a disorder called post fossa syndrome.
Mackenzie was no longer able to speak, walk or feed herself.
The team met Mackenzie on her last day of rehabilitation at the
hospital, and it was love at first sight. Mackenzie hugged Vinnie as
he sat on her lap, and everyone was happy to see how well she
was doing. Throughout the rest of her recovery, Marisa and Vinnie
met regularly with Mackenzie, who always looked forward to the
visits.
Near the end of her recovery, the hospital granted “The Courage
of Hope” award to Mackenzie. Vinnie and Marisa were invited to
the ceremony. During Mackenzie’s speech, she explained that
Vinnie had helped her through her terrific struggle. Marisa said, “It
5
was the greatest moment of our
lives to provide such comfort to
an amazing little girl.”
Marisa later learned that
Mackenzie was being bullied in
school because of her disability.
It was Mackenzie’s idea to have
Vinnie come and comfort her
while she gave a presentation to
her fourth grade class. All of the
other students loved Vinnie, and
Mackenzie’s presentation was a
huge success.
Steve Schwertfeger and May
Crystal Lake, Illinois
Steve Schwertfeger was expecting a rather slow activity day as
he entered the hospital with his dog May. As they walked down
the hall toward the elevators, the team passed the hospital chapel.
May suddenly stopped at the doorway and walked in. This was the
first time in her five years of visiting that May noticed this room,
and Steve was surprised at her sudden decision to go inside.
An elderly lady was sitting behind the door. She looked very
worried, and her eyes were red from crying. Steve apologized for
disturbing her thoughts and privacy, but May had her own agenda:
She hopped up on a chair next to the woman, cocked her head and
just looked at her. The woman slowly began to stroke May, and talk
to her in a low voice. “Something told me to be quiet,” said Steve,
“and allow the situation to unfold, so I took a seat behind them.”
For five minutes the conversation between the woman and May
continued. The woman’s face begin to soften, and she started to talk
to May almost like two old friends
catching up. May just sat, intently
looking at her.
Finally the woman reached
over and hugged May. She
looked straight at the dog and
said, “thank you dear for stopping
in, this is just what I needed.”
She smiled at Steve as they left
the room.
For their remaining visits that
morning, May was her normal
self — energetic and wiggly. Steve concluded, “I learned a lot that
day — there are times when therapy dogs know much more about
people than we as handlers will ever understand.”
Taryn Wichterman and Riley
Bloomington, Minnesota
Taryn Wichterman and her therapy rabbit Riley have been visiting the
oncology floor of Children’s Hospital in Minneapolis for a couple of
years. Because of the rotation of the patients, they don’t always see
6
the same children, so each visit can be very different. Children love to
have a rabbit sit and snuggle on the bed with them.
One of Taryn’s most memorable visits was with a little boy who
was just over the moon to see Riley. He literally could not stop
smiling and laughing. Every time Riley would move or sniff the boy,
he would break out in laughter. His mother said her son had not
been happy in a long time, and it
was great to hear him laugh. This
day also happened to be his last
chemotherapy session, so it was
an extra special visit. Taryn gave
him a high-five and congratulated
him on being finished with his
treatments. “Just seeing the
smile on his face and knowing
that Riley helped put it there was
absolutely heartwarming,” Taryn
said. “And to know we were
sending him home with a great memory of his last day of chemo
spent with a bunny. It’s a day I will never forget and look forward to
many more visits with Riley.”
Victoria Harris and Spanky
Nashville, Tennessee
Victoria Harris and her Shih Tzu Spanky were called to the intensive
care unit of the hospital they regularly visit to see a patient who had
recently undergone brain surgery. He had not wanted to get out of
bed and had not been as cognitive as expected. His wife said he
loved dogs and that he might respond to one in a positive manner.
Because they could not enter the ICU, Victoria and Spanky stayed in
the beautiful atrium waiting area. The nurse told the patient there was
a dog in the atrium, but he would have to get up and walk out there
to see it. “He lit up like a Christmas tree!” exclaimed the nurse. With
two poles and various IV lines,
staff helped the patient maneuver
to the waiting area.
The man gingerly sat down
and Spanky very willingly laid
down on his blanket-covered
lap. For the next half hour, the
patient petted and talked to the
Shih Tzu, reminiscing about his
own dog, and brushing Spanky.
All the while, nurses and other
staff members in turn walked by
to witness the miracle. No one
could believe how the patient
was responding to Spanky
— better than any medicine
prescribed.
The patient’s wife emailed Victoria later to say they had left the
hospital for a rehabilitation center, but was confident his stay there
would be short. She gave Spanky the credit for jump-starting his
full recovery.
Southeast
Dawn Crouse and Jefferson & Phillip
Asheville, North Carolina
Dawn Crouse’s therapy cat Jefferson’s “take-charge” attitude has
earned him a nickname – “The Diva.” Jefferson has turned catnaps
into an art form – often dozing off within 10 minutes of settling into
a lap or bed. Hospice resident Miss Priscilla, frequent nap partner
and therapy cat convert, says, “I hate cats except for Jefferson and
his brother Phillip.” Her amended door sign reads, “Therapy Cats
Welcome.”
Jefferson’s current record
was set during a two-hour
hospice visit. He quickly settled
into a comfortable sleeping
position with one of the
residents and opened his eyes
only when his friend woke up
yelling, “kitty, kitty!” For months
after the friend passed away,
Jefferson stared at the closed
door every time the team walked
by.
Therapy cat Phillip was
napping with Miss Priscilla when
another resident’s daughter
spotted him and asked if they
could visit her mother who was unresponsive. Once Phillip finished
his first nap, the team went down the hall so he could settle in for
a second. The daughter and the nurse kept asking the mother to
open her eyes and look at the cat sleeping in her lap. With eyes still
shut tight, the mother finally responded, “where’s the cat?” Her
daughter told her to look at her lap. The mother opened her eyes
and lifted Phillip to her chest, where he snuggled and purred.
Chuck Mitchell and Rikki
Tallahassee, Florida
Rikki is a Golden Retriever rescued from the flood waters outside
New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. She and her handler,
Chuck Mitchell, pay regular visits to the geriatric schizophrenic ward
of one of the local psychiatric hospitals. During one visit, a deaf and
mute patient sat with a vacant gaze, flanked by his interpreter and his
therapist. The man waved the team off as quickly as his interpreter
signed their greeting, and they moved on to the next person. After a
few minutes of positive interactions with four other residents, Rikki
and Chuck came back to see if the man had changed his mind. He
hadn’t, and again dismissively waved them off.
After making the rounds of the room again, Rikki pulled Chuck
over to the man once more, but his complete lack of interest was
clear. Chuck approached the interpreter and said, “forgive me,
but my dog really seems to think that your client would like to
meet her. Would you mind asking him just one more time?” As
the interpreter signed the request, Rikki laid down at the man’s
feet and looked straight up into his eyes. Her muscles relaxed
and her mouth opened in an expectant smile. A kaleidoscope of
expressions crossed the man’s face, then for a moment his eyes
rolled far back in his head. Suddenly, he burst into a huge smile and
focused on Rikki as though he’d never seen her before. He leaned
over and threw his arms around her neck, moaning as he buried his
head in her fur. Instead of stiffening up, Rikki relaxed and leaned
forward into him, bringing herself even closer. The man began
softly weeping and rocking back and forth. Then, just as quickly
as he had begun, the man released Rikki, sat upright and looked
straight ahead with a vacant stare, ignoring Rikki and Chuck. Rikki
seemed to know the visit was over, so Chuck thanked everyone
and left the room.
The therapist followed the team into the hall, explaining that
the man suffered from multiple personality disorder. His dominant
personality, which was aloof and antisocial, controlled the others
and precluded them from emerging,
except occasionally – and then only for a
short time. He and the other therapists
had worked to encourage one of the
man’s other, more sociable personalities
to emerge long enough for them to make
contact. “Your dog did in a few minutes
what I haven’t been able to do in 12
years. She connected with one of his
personalities who wanted to deal with the
outside world in a positive manner,” he
said. The therapist admitted he had never
really believed that animal-assisted therapy
would be of any benefit to his practice.
After witnessing the incident, however,
he asked Chuck to bring Rikki again the
following week and focus strictly on this
patient.
The following week, other therapists
and physicians were in attendance as
well, including the hospital’s chief medical director. As during
the previous visit, the man was not interested in the dog at first.
However, it didn’t take long for the more social personality to
emerge, though his arrival wasn’t as physically dramatic as it had
been in the first encounter.
The man eventually relaxed enough while petting Rikki that
the therapists were able to have brief interludes of conversation
with him through his interpreter. As Chuck and Rikki prepared to
leave, everyone in the room — including the patient, through his
interpreter — thanked Chuck for bringing Rikki.
Once Rikki provided the key to get around the man’s dominant,
isolated personality, the professionals were able to begin
connecting with him and treating him in more conventional ways.
7
Cyndi Smith and Bandit
Alva, Florida
Cyndi Smith and her family began raising alpacas seven years ago.
One day, Cyndi’s daughter told her about a woman who brought a
dog to school so the children could read to her. “Can we do that with
the alpacas?” her daughter asked. Cyndi liked the idea, and soon she
and her daughters were scheduling team evaluations. When Cyndi’s
husband mentioned their plans to the director of a nearby assisted
living facility, the woman begged them to bring the alpacas to meet
her residents.
During their first visit, the alpacas strutted around and let all of
the residents pet them. Smiles cracked on aged faces, and residents
giggled as their knobby fingers touched the soft fleece. When the
alpacas went over a small jump and tittered over the see-saw, the
audience cheered and gasped. The teams were a hit, but had only
just begun. The director escorted Cyndi and Bandit the alpaca down
a hallway into the dementia unit, where they worked their way from
one room to the next, stopping at each bed. Some faces were blank
and didn’t respond at all. Some were confused but delighted in the
soft feel of the alpaca fleece. A few appeared fearful, so the teams
didn’t linger near those residents. Then, when they entered the
common room – before the director even had a chance to introduce
them – one woman screeched, jumped up and ran over to Bandit.
She grabbed him by the neck, and everyone froze.
The woman began laughing and giggling; her face buried in the
alpaca’s thick brown fleece. She rocked his head gently until tears
formed in her eyes. Bandit stood completely still. He hummed to
her softly as she tightened her embrace. The two seemed perfectly
content to just stand together in an endearing hug. This went on for a
good five minutes before a staff member gently coaxed the woman
back to her chair.
Later, as Cyndi loaded the
alpacas and equipment back
in the trailer, the dementia unit
staff nurse came out to explain
that the woman who was so
excited to see Bandit had been
a patient for several years, but
had never been responsive to
anything. She hadn’t made a
sound or acknowledged anyone
or anything in the time she had
been there. The nurse said Bandit
had apparently touched something deep inside this woman during
their visit, and for a little while, had brought a sense of love and joy
she hadn’t felt in years.
Gina Blevins and Tex
Haymarket, Virginia
Tex is a five-year-old black Labrador Retriever that Gina Blevins raised
to be a service dog for Guiding Eyes for the Blind. Although he was
8
released from that program due to stress issues, Gina knew Tex had
a special gift. Now, as a Pet Partners therapy dog, Tex works with
confidence and pleasure.
Gina and Tex regularly go to Fairfax Inova Hospital in Virginia, and
during one particular visit, the team met a 21-year-old woman who
had been severely injured in a car accident. Her numerous fractures
and lacerations were healing, but the head trauma had left her in
a coma for weeks. This was the first day the woman had been
awake, but she was still not responding to her environment. As the
team entered the hospital room, Gina introduced herself and Tex
to the woman and her mother. On command, Tex gently climbed
onto the bed. When Gina asked the woman if she would like to pet
Tex, her eyes lit up and she reached over to him. This was the first
indication the patient was becoming aware of her surroundings
— she understood the request, and she was able to process the
information, engage her muscles and follow through. Tex and Gina
continued to spend time with the woman, and soon, her mother
explained that her daughter
had been originally scheduled
to transfer to a nursing home,
but this new interaction would
likely upgrade her to a neurology
rehabilitation facility instead.
Although Tex hadn’t made
it as a guide dog, he found
another significant way to make
a difference. Gina said, “being
involved in animal-assisted
therapy has shown me the
profound effect our animals can have on people emotionally and
physically. We should never underestimate the power they possess
and we should make every effort to share it with the community.”
Suncoast Humane Society’s Therapy Animal Teams
Englewood, Florida
At a local nursing home, a partially paralyzed stroke victim asked if
Nikita the therapy dog could lie in bed with her. As he cuddled against
her rigid body, the woman extended her hand and began stroking his
fur. Her husband exclaimed that this was the first time the woman
had smiled, and the first time she had been willing to do any physical
therapy since the stroke had incapacitated her months earlier. Nikita,
as had his predecessor Jasper, and handler Jeanette Himmelfarb,
also visit several other local facilities. Recently, along with 12 other
dogs acting as an honor guard, Nikita attended a funeral to comfort
the mourners.
Georgia Boni has two young therapy dogs, Dante and Gianni, both
Italian Greyhounds. Georgia tells of Gianni’s first big success: “Helen
had been in the Alzheimer’s unit of an assisted living facility for three
months. The aides had been unable to get her to eat more than one
morsel of food at a time. One morning, Helen was sitting at the
breakfast table, staring at a lovely, yet untouched plate of bacon, fried
eggs, and toast. Gianni approached and put his head on her knee.
The smell of bacon had permeated the room, and the dog looked
hopeful. I tried to place her hand on Gianni’s head, but she withdrew
it and continued to take refuge in her own thoughts. ‘Helen, please
eat something,’ an aide pleaded. After about 10 minutes, as I was
about to leave, something wonderful happened. Helen picked up a
slice of bacon, tore it in two and held one half out to Gianni (whose
prayers had been answered) and put the other half into her own
mouth. They continued to share breakfast; an elderly woman and her
new friend Gianni.”
Willie is an 11-year-old Cockapoo owned by Sy and Sandy Levine.
Every week, Willie visits the VA nursing home in Port Charlotte,
FL to entertain and
brighten the patients’
days. Once, they
were asked to visit
an elderly woman
with Alzheimer’s
who had owned a
dog like Willie many
years ago. “She was
very frail and would
not get up out of her
chair,” Sy said. “She
was standoffish and did not react to our presence. But on the next
visit, when she saw Willie, she got up out of her chair and said, “I
want to walk him.” Holding the leash with her, Sy helped her take
Willie for a walk across the room, something she had not done since
her decline.
Jeanette and Georgia and their therapy dogs meet more than
400 people every month. They train every day and spend lots of
time socializing their pets with humans in crowded settings and
with other dogs. The teams have been volunteering with their dogs
through the Suncoast Humane Society in Englewood for more than
seven years.
Photo: Pet Partners therapy dogs (l. to r.) Willie Levine, Dante and Gianni
Boni, and Nikita Himmelfarb, here with their partners Sy and Sandy, Georgia,
and Jeanette, all members of the Jewish Congregation of Venice (FL). Photo
by Martin Himmelfarb
Jan Stice and Crystal
Salem, Virginia
Crystal is a 13-year-old Golden Retriever and Border Collie mix.
Together with her handler Jan Stice, she provides reading support to
second-grade students. Because the students are low-level readers,
it is very important that they not only read the words, but understand
the story as well.
As one student was struggling with a book, Jan whispered to
the boy, “please tell Crystal what a tortoise is, because she doesn’t
know that word. She does know what a rabbit is, because we have
them at home, so tell her a hare is like a rabbit so she will understand
the story.” The boy smiled, leaned over, pointed to a picture of a hare
in his book and told Crystal in a very serious voice, “Crystal, this is a
hare and that is like a rabbit.” When he said “rabbit,” Crystal’s ears
went up and she looked at him very intently. Of course, that tickled
the student and he went on to read. There was a section in the
book about how the tortoise crawled, so Jan asked the student if he
knew what crawling meant. He said he didn’t, so Jan had Crystal
demonstrate for him (she has learned the command ‘crawl’).
At the end-of-the-school-year party for the therapy dog program’s
reading students, this student approached Jan and whispered,
“does anyone else know about the hare and the rabbit?” Jan was
surprised he remembered and answered, “no, you are the only one.”
The boy stuck out his chest, smiled and went back to his friends. He
will surely never forget his experience with Crystal.
Southwest
Bob Smith and Murphie Courage
Flagstaff, Arizona
Every other Wednesday, Murphie Courage, a purebred Border Collie,
and her handler Bob Smith visit patients and
staff at Flagstaff Medical Center. During
their training to become a registered Pet
Partners therapy animal team, one thing
Bob distinctively remembers learning is that
once in a while the team may have a visit
with a patient that doesn’t seem to be very
productive. They soon found out what that
meant.
The team was visiting a 16-year-old boy
who had been in a car accident. On his
sixth day in the hospital, he had still not
communicated with anyone. His eyes were
fixed and staring straight ahead. Murphie
and Bob saw no reaction from the boy
after nearly 15 minutes – not even a blink
of an eye – when Bob got down on one
knee and propped Murphie up on his leg so
the young man could see her better. Bob
repeated Murphie’s name and explained a little about the Border
Collie breed and their herding skills. But no matter what Murphie
or Bob did, nothing made a difference with this boy and his
circumstances. Remembering what the instructor had said about
not being able to control the situation, they left the patient and
continued their rounds.
About four hours after they left the hospital, a paramedic friend
who had been visiting at the same time called Bob with some
amazing news: After Murphie and Bob left the teenager’s room,
he started saying Murphie’s name repeatedly and as clear as a
bell! This was the boy’s first attempt at communicating since the
accident. Bob wondered, “did this visit that was so unproductive
actually help start bringing this young man back? I’m not sure… I
don’t think anyone fully knows the extent of good that Pet Partners
teams bring. Or leave behind ... “
9
Susan Voise and Schatzie
Arlington, Texas
Schatzie is an eight-year-old Cockapoo who has been a registered Pet
Partners therapy dog since 2008. Recently, the activity director at a
local nursing home – one of the facilities Schatzie visits – asked his
handler Susan Voise to work with a new patient. The woman, Debra,
is in her 40s and paralyzed from the neck down. Although she cannot
move, she still has feeling in her body. She said she loves dogs, but
was fearful of animals in close proximity because she couldn’t move
if the dog did anything unexpected. Other
therapy dogs had visited her in the past, but
had made her uncomfortable. Schatzie was
her last chance at having a dog in her life.
When the team walked into the room,
Debra looked ill at ease, but interested. She
then relaxed and asked if Schatzie could
sit on her bed, and the little dog snuggled
into the crook of her waist. Debra smiled
and described how wonderful it was to feel
a dog’s warmth next to her. The activity
director gently picked up her arm and
slowly guided it up and down Schatzie’s
body so she could “pet” her. After a few
minutes, Debra said that even that slight
motion was uncomfortable — but she
didn’t want to stop.
As Schatzie moved even closer, a look
of total peace came across the woman’s
face. Schatzie seemed to sense that any
sudden movement on her part might be alarming, so she laid
perfectly still, her head nestled on Debra’s neck. The room became
totally quiet and the two of them lay together for a few minutes,
breathing at the same pace, eyes closed and in perfect harmony.
“Neither one seemed aware that I was standing close by, one hand
on Schatzie’s head,” Susan said, “but as the moments ticked by,
even I began to relax and realize what a true gift Schatzie had given
the patient that day.”
Sharon Davis and Sophie
Palestine, Texas
A young boy walked into the activity room at a residential treatment
center for his first visit with a therapy dog, unsure of what to expect.
He was slumped over and his eyes were downcast. When the boy
finally looked up, he spotted Sophie the Labradoodle and immediately
ran over to her and handler Sharon Davis. He threw his arms around
the dog, looked up at Sharon and asked if he could have Sophie — he
even offered to buy her. Sharon explained that Sophie was her dog
but that they would continue to visit him. When it was time for the
team to leave, the staff had difficulty getting the boy to return to his
room. He would run to the door and then back to Sophie.
Sharon was later told the boy’s mother had driven him across
10
the border and abandoned him in El Paso. While at the facility,
he had been sullen and even violent at times. The director was
very surprised at the report of his behavior with Sophie. While his
behavior did not significantly improve at the facility, he remained
kind and gentle with Sophie. Eventually he was moved to another
facility. Sharon said, “I hope his time with Sophie and her
unconditional love for him had a positive, lasting impact on the boy.
His family history indicated he had not had the opportunity to love
and be loved.”
Kathleen Hubbard and Jake
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
For almost a year and a half, Kathleen Hubbard and Jake visited
“Grandma” weekly at her assisted living facility. She always lit up the
moment Jake arrived. Knowing how important Jake was to her, the
Facility Director told Kathleen when Grandma began transitioning.
They immediately went in for a visit and spent two hours with the
dying woman. She drifted in and out of sleep because of her pain
medication, but she when she was awake, her hands were on Jake
and she was smiling.
Two days later the facility
called to say it wouldn’t be
long, so the team arrived as
soon as they were able. Jake
gently climbed up and lay next
to Grandma, tenderly pressed
to her side. Kathleen took her
hand and said, “Grandma, Jake’s
here to see you.” She could no
longer speak, but she moaned
as Kathleen guided her hand to
stroke Jake’s head. She knew he
was with her.
Jake normally doesn’t lick, but he decided to clean Grandma’s
hand that day. Kathleen didn’t stop him because Jake seemed to
sense this was something he needed to do for her.
Jake laid quietly next to her as friends and staff came in to say
their goodbyes. Kathleen asked the family several times if they
should leave, but they emphatically said no each time. Jake was a
much-needed distraction for them as well. Jake provided Grandma
with love and comfort for over an hour until she passed. Kathleen
exclaimed, “Grandma probably has the cleanest right hand in
heaven.”
West
Susan West and Runner
Ogden, Utah
Runner is a two-year-old Saint Bernard that has volunteered with his
handler Susan West for the past year at Ogden Regional Medical
Center (ORMC), George E. Wahlen Veteran’s Home, and Primary
Children’s Hospital.
The team was making a weekly ORMC visit when they noticed
a group of people in a waiting room and asked if they would like a
visit. After they were invited in, Runner headed straight toward a
distraught man who was shuffling through a stack of paperwork
and signing various documents. Runner leaned into the man’s lap
and laid his head on the stack of paper. The man said his father
had just been admitted into the intensive care unit with paralysis
and that the prognosis was not
good. He began to cry as he
bear-hugged Runner and said he
really needed that. Susan asked
if his father liked dogs as they
were on their way to ICU. He
said yes, but that his dad would
probably not even know the
team was there.
Nevertheless, Susan and
Runner went to ICU, but were
told by staff that a visit would
not be possible because the patient also had MRSA, an infection
that is very difficult to treat. They pointed out the man’s room
through a closed glass door. Runner pressed his nose against the
glass and stood and stared at the man – likely confused as to why
they were not going in the room. Runner never took his eyes off
of him. The nurse then told the man, “there is a big dog here to
see you,” and pointed to the door. After a few minutes, the man
made a huge effort to turn his head toward the door. A faint smile
came to his face as his eyes met Runner’s. Runner laid down with
his face pressed close to the door – eyes locked on the man. A
definite connection had been made, and Runner was not leaving his
new friend. The “visit” lasted a few more minutes and Susan was
amazed at how reluctant Runner was to leave, as he was getting no
real feedback from the man. Yet they had obviously formed a bond.
The following week, Susan heard from another therapy animal
team that they had been approached by a man wondering about
the Saint Bernard he had met. He wanted to let Susan know that
his father had passed away, but that their last conversation together
was about the giant dog that had come to see him, and how happy
that had made him.
Mollie Hunt and Tinkerbelle
Portland, Oregon
Mollie Hunt received an email from
Pet Partners’ Therapy Animal Program
Coordinator asking if she could visit a
woman who was at the end of her life. The
woman loved cats and had had many of her
own, but now she lived in a hospice home
where there were no animals. She was
beyond speaking, but her daughter knew
one of her last wishes was to touch a cat
one last time.
Mollie and her cat Tinkerbelle were
greeted by a bereft woman, the patient’s
daughter. Her eyes were red though she
smiled when she saw them. She guided
them through a beautiful converted home
to a small bedroom. The patient was
unconscious but thrashing, distressed in
spite of hospice’s comfort measures. Around her several women
whispered in hopeless tones.
“Mom?” said the daughter, taking her hand. “I have someone to
see you.” No response. It was time for Tinkerbelle to take charge.
“Hello,” Mollie said softly. “I have a cat to visit you. May I put
her on your bed?” For a moment the woman’s thrashing lessened,
so Mollie understood that as a yes. Placing Tinkerbelle next to the
woman, she guided her hand to the soft fur. The patient began
to stroke Tinkerbelle with the tiniest of movements. Her ragged
breathing eased, taking on the simple rhythm of the strokes.
The room went silent, then everyone began talking at once,
but in a different manner. Family now spoke in normal voices,
praising Tinkerbelle and recalling other cats in their lives. Someone
opened the curtain, letting in the winter sunshine. After a while, the
woman’s hand fell still. She was resting comfortably.
Margot Hunjan and Dudley
Larkspur, Colorado
Flat Coated Retriever Dudley and his handler Margot Hunjan visit
mildly to severely disabled children in a special classroom at Ray
Kilmer Elementary School, just east of Monument, Colorado.
A few of the young people are in wheelchairs; many are not able
to communicate or even respond to people, but all love visiting with
sweet and gentle Dudley.
Before the team arrived one day after a long absence, a young
boy named Paul told his teachers in sign language that he was
excited about Dudley coming back to visit. This was the same boy
who had been terrified of the dog the first time they met.
When the team arrived, Paul smiled and very gingerly touched
Dudley on the head. Then he gave Margot an exuberant hug and
began stroking Dudley’s head and back. Paul walked alongside
them, holding part of the leash and inviting other children to pet
11
the dog. Paul was so happy to
interact with Dudley and never
stopped smiling, but more
than anything he was proud of
himself. He had overcome fear
and celebrated this as the great
achievement it was.
At first Paul threw dog treats
on the floor because he was not
comfortable having Dudley take
a treat from his hand. But after
much encouragement, he finally held on to the cookie and Dudley
gently took the treat from him. The relief and exhilaration on Paul’s
face was something to behold. He had done it! The loud and happy
sounds coming from him were those of pure joy. Giving dog treats
has become easy for Paul. Margot told Paul that Dudley is his friend
now, and he made the sign for friends while pointing to the dog.
This is a child without verbal language skills, but before the team
left that day, Paul pointed to Dudley and to everyone’s amazement,
quite clearly said, “Dud.”
Sue Grundfest and Benny
Las Vegas, Nevada
Sue Grundfest and her Poodle Benny were greeted with
excitement by the occupational and physical therapists the first
time visiting a new facility. Sue walked Benny through the room
to familiarize him with the setting and introduced him to several
therapists and clients. One woman in particular seemed to take to
him and was overwhelmed with joy. Her therapist explained that
she’d had two strokes within a short period of time and they were
trying to motivate her to walk and to use her weakened hand.
A big smile came across the woman’s face as Sue placed Benny
in her lap. Then a slight tear
trickled down her check. Benny
looked up at her and gave her the
sweetest look that seemed to
say, “yes, I am a dog and I’m here
to help you!”
Sue took out a very soft
plastic molded brush that fit
perfectly into the woman’s one
strong hand. Then her therapist
helped her work her weaker
side and she was able to open
her hand palm down and pet Benny. They switched the brush to her
weaker hand and she was able to take a few strokes. She was even
able to cup her hand and arm around Benny to hold him on her lap
independently.
They asked the woman if she would get up and try walking a
few steps with Benny as he is an excellent double-leash walker and
he stays at any pace Sue sets. Not only did the woman walk – she
navigated the entire room!
12
The first meeting was so successful that Benny has met with
the same patient every week, and she is now learning to turn the
pages of books while reading to the dog, pour water in a little bowl
for him, and remove and replace his Pet Partners vest – all using her
weakened hand. Whenever she sees Benny and Sue come into the
room, she perks up and says, “I am so happy Benny is here.” She
always thrills when walking Benny and their pace has quickened.
When she is tired, Benny patiently waits.
The team spends 15 minutes walking with the physical therapist
and then 30 minutes with the occupational therapist, utilizing the dog
as part of an activity. Sue said, “this is what teamwork is all about,
and why the Love Dogs choose their facility partners so strategically.
This rehabilitation facility has learned how to work in tandem
with the dogs and choose the right clients and therapists for such
alternative therapies, and they always give me feedback after each
session.”
Peter Christensen and Muka
Vancouver, Washington
As an active therapy dog handler for nearly four years, Peter
Christensen says he has witnessed the healing effect of the humananimal bond many times. “I have heard machines beep to indicate
that blood pressure has dropped enough for patients to be ready
for operations,” he said. “I have watched as sedentary people with
dementia speak more, move more, and smile more. I have watched
as my dog simply distracts people
from their pain – if only for the
moment -- as they wait to be
treated in an emergency waiting
room or as they recover in a
hospital bed.” But the following
interaction is a bit contrary to
what therapy dog handlers would
expect.
Peter was letting Muka take
a break in a waiting room during
their visits at a hospital, but the
waiting room wasn’t empty. An
elderly woman was sitting alone.
She looked very solemn; her
face turned toward the floor.
Peter usually enters a
room with a boisterous introduction: “Hello! My name is Peter
Christensen, and this is my therapy dog Mukaluka Von Schwartzen
Schnauzer Dirtypaws. But you can call me Peter!” It never fails to
get a big laugh. But this time he gently said hello and asked if she
would like to pet his therapy dog. At first, she didn’t reply. Then she
blurted out, “I don’t need therapy!”
Peter said, “okay, we’re just going to sit quietly by the window
and take a break.” Again, at first she didn’t reply. Then she blurted
out, “what kind of therapy do you give?”
The woman explained that she was waiting for a friend who
was going through a fifth surgery, and that after each operation,
the woman had been taking care of her friend. Muka stood in
front of her as she went on in great detail. She was looking in his
direction, and never turned toward Peter. She went on to talk about
her husband’s illness and the great burden it was to take care of
both her husband and her friend. As she went on, Muka sat down
in front of her. Then she launched into a lengthy description of her
own ailments, and how they made it nearly impossible to care for
both her husband and her friend. Now as she went on, Muka lay
down in front of her.
Although her list of grievances grew, the woman began to sound
less and less depressed.
Finally, she reached down and petted Muka’s head, at the same
time turning toward Peter. She exclaimed, “sometimes life is really,
really hard. But if you just hang in there, you can get through it.”
Peter concluded, “what I love most about this story is that the
woman who said, ‘I don’t need therapy!’ got exactly that. Sharing
about our troubles, venting our frustrations, is in itself a healing
process. And all it takes is a patient dog and a caring person willing
to listen.”
Lisa Wyatt and Maple
Portland, Oregon
Lisa Wyatt and her dog Maple
visit a senior living facility every
other week, and a juvenile
detention center every week.
At the detention center, the
interactions with Maple are in
a class setting: Lisa talks about
how dogs learn, dog behavior
and body language, positive
reinforcement training, spaying
and neutering, and inevitably
(because Maple is a Pit Bull), she
talks about the history, myths,
and media portrayals of the breed.
The kids get opportunities to pet
and clicker-train Maple.
Lisa said, “I am drawn to this work because I care about dogs and
people. I want to educate people about dog behavior, positive training
and health care so that we can all make our dogs’ lives better and so
that we are able to enjoy the loving qualities dogs have to offer.”
The day before a visit to the detention center, one young man had
attempted to take his own life. Lisa was asked to work one-on-one
with him and Maple. She put the clicker in his hand and instructed
him with a hand targeting game. The young man’s face changed.
He said he liked the game. She then asked him to make it more
challenging for Maple, to hold his hand up higher – near his shoulders.
Maple got up on her hind legs and enthusiastically bumped his hand
with her nose. Not only did the trick make the young man smile, he
felt empowered and Maple was having so much fun.
Debe Christnacht and Gabe
Lakewood, Washington
In December 2013, a Toy Poodle named Gabe was the first nonhuman to receive an award for “outstanding individual providing a
significant contribution in the lives of older adults” from the Pierce
County Department of Aging and Disability Resources. Along with
his handler Debe Christnacht, Gabe provides more than just comfort
for the residents of Bridgeport Place Retirement and Assisted Living.
According to Debe’s husband
Jim, Gabe can sense when a
patient is in danger. “One time
Gabe was visiting an older adult
when he refused to move,” said
Jim. “His reluctance alerted
care staff. Upon investigation, it
was determined the patient was
suffering small strokes that were
undetectable by sight alone.”
Gabe also is a powerful
motivator for patients undergoing
physical therapy, and often his
presence brings temporary clarity
to memory-impaired residents
who brighten up while telling
stories of pets they have had in the past. When Gabe was visiting
one patient who was unable to speak, the woman was holding Gabe
in her lap when she suddenly looked up and said, “he’s so good.”
Jim said, “staff were amazed this resident spoke. This incident
touched everyone’s heart.”
13
HOW
TO
HELP
2013 ANNUAL REPORT
Pet Partners spent 2013 becoming better and stronger than ever. We made
significant investments in our organizational capabilities, our training and support
infrastructure, and our leadership. These initiatives demonstrate our commitment
to the best-in-class standards established by our founders 37 years ago, and
to our expanding service goals nationwide. Pet Partners’focus is on enabling our
teams, caregivers, and health care providers to confidently offer top quality, safe,
rich interactions that optimally support the health and well-being of those we serve.
Make a Donation
Pet Partners relies on donations made by individuals,
foundations, corporations and thousands of volunteers
to provide program services. Demand for our services
is much greater than we can provide and your support
will help those waiting for us to reach them. Join as
a member by donating $50 or more and receive our
publication Pet Partners Interactions magazine and
other membership benefits. Or consider making a gift
in honor or memory of a pet, family member or friend.
WAYS TO MAKE A DONATION:
1.Online at www.petpartners.org/donate
2.By phone by calling 425.679.5517
3.By mail to 875 124th Ave NE #101,
Bellevue, WA 98005
4.Select Pet Partners as the recipient
of your workplace giving
Pet Partners relies on corporate sponsors who help
make our mission possible. Your support of their
business supports the work of our teams. For a list or
these partners, go to www.petpartners.org/corporate
Companies interested in becoming members of our
Caring Company program please visit
www.petparters.org/caringcompanies
You can also help by conducting your own grassroots
fundraising event or ask about our Peer-to-Peer online
fundraising opportunity. You may also become a
member of our Caring Community, a national group of
supporters who have made provisions in their estate
planning to support the work of Pet Partners. Email
julied@petpartners.org or call 425.679.5502 for details.
14
— Brenda Bax, Pet Partners Board Chair —
NEW CEO ANNOUNCED
Catherine “Annie” Magnant
We are excited to announce that Catherine “Annie” Magnant is
the new President and CEO of Pet Partners. A visionary leader,
strategic thinker and exceptional communicator, Magnant brings
more than 20 years of leadership experience to the Pet Partners
team. Magnant departs Special Olympics International where she
served as Vice President of Personal Giving and Special Events and
had a broad and positive impact by introducing innovative fundraising strategies and engaging staff globally. Additionally, Magnant has
served as Executive Director for the Science Museum of Virginia
Foundation and had significant leadership roles at the Arthritis
Foundation, Virginia Chapter and the Leukemia Society of America.
“After a comprehensive search, we feel like we have found a
great match, the right person for the job” says Pet Partners Board
Chair Brenda Bax. “The breadth and depth of her experience and
her strong leadership abilities are just what we need to accelerate the excellence of our programming and achieve our growth
goals for touching more lives with best-in-class pet interactions to
improve health and well-being.”
“It’s an honor to be joining such a wonderful community and
cause, and I look forward to working collaboratively with so many
passionate individuals. From my first experience visiting a local
hospital with a Pet Partners team, to the great-hearted - yet practical
- vision of what we can accomplish going forward, Pet Partners has
proven inspiring. I’m thrilled that we can shape the future together,”
offered Magnant. Magnant joined Pet Partners May 27, 2014.
Pet Partners Board Chair Brenda Bax
with Monty & Chouteau
15
2013
ANNUAL
REPORT
8,817
individual handlers
registered in
48 states
10,348
teams
over
1,000,000
visits
Statements of Financial Position
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Student Satisfaction Surveys Launched
A series of professional development webinars to address recurring
challenges and improve the consistency of evaluations nationally.
These webinars were designed and hosted by current evaluators
with support from staff. Webinars included:
Surveys have been launched to begin gathering student feedback
specifically for online training courses such as those for handlers,
instructors and evaluators.
• Recruiting, Training and Retaining Assistants
• Best Practices for Preparing Teams for Evaluation Day
• Stress Free Evaluations: How to prepare for evaluation day without headaches
• Scripting for Success
Update to Handler Student Guide Completed
Practicums
Working with Veterans Online Continuing Education
Course launched
Community Partner Program
Community Partners are groups of registered Pet Partners
volunteers that serve a specific geographic area or facility who are
interested in a closer, more collaborative relationship with each
other and the parent organization. Recognized as leaders within Pet
Partners’ therapy animal program, these groups of active volunteers
consisting of a minimum of 20 registered teams, 1 instructor and
1 evaluator, receive additional opportunities and benefits for active
participation in the partnership program. In 2013, 25 groups joined.
2012
ASSETS
Evaluator Webinar Series Launched
Practicums are the in-person training component for those
interested in becoming a licensed Pet Partners evaluator. They
focus on hands-on application of knowledge and ensure that the
Pet Partners evaluation program remains rigorous, ensuring well
qualified teams across the country. Nine Practicums were held
yielding 63 new licensed team evaluators.
2013
The Handler Guide is the primary resource document for all
registered Pet Partners teams. It has benefitted from some
revisions and clarifications to ensure Pet Partners teams are
working with best practices. It is now printed as a bound book.
A training experience designed to provide information and practical
guidance for handlers wishing to work with veterans.
Customer Relations Management System Initiated
The new Customer Relations Management (CRM) system will
enable Pet Partners to capture data about our volunteers and
their visits. This will help us better identify the outcomes and
impact of our programs as well as provide more information on
the demographics of those we serve. This new system will allow
us to make more data-driven decisions about future initiatives and
become a more efficient nonprofit model. Our goal is to have this
project complete by the end of 2014.
Current
Land, Builiding & Equipment
Investment & Other
Total Assets
256,275543,454
3,142,066
3,241,928
5,722,427
5,029,835
9,120,768 8,815,217
297,971 283,194
LIABILITIES
Current Liabilities
NET ASSETS
Board Designated
Unrestricted
Temporarily Restricted
Permanently Restricted
3,154,677
3,210,814
997,177
1,169,355
Statement of Activities (Unrestricted)
9,120,768 8,815,217
Operating Revenue Excluding In-Kind Contributions
1,919,857 443,003 2,851,113
21,470
2,362,860 2,872,583
In-Kind Contributions
Total Revenue
Expenses
Program services
Management and general
Fundraising
Total Expenses
2,766,239
3,544,595
1,455,465
1,056,498
1,657,419
258,824
615,541
1,125,056
175,693
545,693
2,531,784
1,846,442
Change in Net Assets Before Non-Operating Income
Non-Operating Income
114,267 (116,762)
Change in Net Assets
(54,657)
909,379
Much of Pet Partners’ program services are performed by volunteers whose contributed time does not meet the criteria for
recognition of contributed services. Therefore, the proportion of management, general and fundraising expenses may be higher
than for other comparable nonprofit organizations.
16
17
Philia’s Friend
By Katharine W. Harding
In early August, Karisto, Philia and I made goodbye visits to
our friends at Lakeview Senior Living, in Lincoln City, Oregon,
explaining that the reason for our absence during the autumn
months would be my upcoming hip surgery. The residents were
delighted to hear that both of my Pet Partners would be on duty
caring for me in my recovery.
Five months later we were ready to return to wish everyone
a Merry Christmas. Our first stop was to see Beryl, one of our
favorite residents as she always has stories of the dogs she
had growing up. Philia walked eagerly at my side but when we
arrived at the familiar door the sign was blank, the usual flower
decorations were gone and a starkly empty room greeted us.
My heart stopped fearing what might have happened. We went
directly to ask the receptionist who said Beryl had been moved to
another part of the facility during our absence.
We walked briskly down the hallway, punched in the code to
open the decorated doors and entered the world of memory care.
As we got closer to the dining area I spied Beryl in an armchair
at the periphery of the group. She was listing a bit to one side,
her fragile hands curled up by her face. She must have caught a
glimpse of Philia’s bouncy trot coming toward her as she sat up
a bit, stretched out her arms and said quietly but distinctly, “Oh,
Philia, I’ve missed you so much.” I immediately scooped up Philia
and all her black and white fluffy curls and placed her in Beryl’s lap.
I kneeled down next to Beryl’s chair so I could understand her
faint voice of gratitude and see her eyes flicker with recognition.
Even after five months of not seeing Philia, Beryl’s 92 years of
loving dogs came naturally as she stroked and cuddled Philia.
This simple act of providing soft comfort in Beryl’s new world
nourishes me. In my handler role I can keep my tears at bay, but
at this welcome reunion it was difficult to contain them.
18
She must have caught a glimpse
of Philia’s bouncy trot coming
toward her as she sat up a bit,
stretched out her arms and said
quietly but distinctly, “Oh, Philia,
I’ve missed you so much.”
19
The Dog Will See You Now
From the pages of
By Alexandra Sifferlin
The growth of animal-assisted therapy means that man’s best
friend may soon be man’s best medicine.
During a couples-therapy session, therapist Ellen Winston
of Lakewood, Colo., brought along her assistant, Sasha — who
happens to be a dog.
The couple were dealing with behavioral problems in their
children and, on top of that, getting a divorce. “The split was not
entirely amicable, and there were very hurt and angry feelings
all around,” Winston says. “The parents struggled to have a civil
conversation and it often escalated into yelling, and then tears, on
both sides.”
During the sessions, the couple would sit on complete
opposite sides of the couch. Sasha would hop in the middle,
curl up and fall asleep. Both partners would stroke Sasha at
particularly emotional moments, and it helped them calm down.
Still, they continued to get agitated, often letting therapy sessions
intensify into screaming matches. When that happened, Sasha
would quickly get up and walk to the door. Winston used those
moments as teaching points.
“We [discussed] that if this is how they interact regularly, their
children were likely also picking up on their moods and acting out
as a result. This was one of the first times they realized that their
children may be impacted by the parents own relationship.”
Winston’s sessions are one of the ways animal-assisted
therapy is changing. Animal-assisted therapy is different from
service animals who accompany someone dealing with anxiety
or depression. Those are certified as emotional-support animals
(ESA), who are daily companions and covered under the
Americans With Disabilities Act. Therapy animals, on the other
hand, are meant to be used in counseling, whether a professional
session or an informal one. Although the American Psychological
Association and the American Psychiatric Association have no
formal position on animal-assisted therapy, there’s evidence
that small practices and individuals are exploring it. Animals are
appearing in all sorts of places: in emergency rooms, prisons,
juvenile-detention centers, nursing homes and, increasingly,
your therapist’s office. There are no official numbers yet, but Pet
Partners, a nonprofit that registers animals for animal-assisted
therapy use (the largest organization to do so in the U.S.), says
there were more than 1 million reported interactions between
registered animals and patients last year. This number includes
everything from nursing-home visits to therapy sessions.
Kathryn Kimbley, director of HumAnima CIC, an animal-assisted
therapy service in West Midlands, England, brings her therapy
dog Flossie to individual sessions with clients, as well as to larger
groups, to comfort patients with depression, behavioral problems
or even mental-health issues like PTSD. “Dogs can act very
A 2009 study found that
preschool kids with special
needs were better able to
follow directions during
assigned tasks if they were
with a trained poodle than
when they were alone,
with another human or
with a stuffed animal dog.
much like a social catalyst. In various settings they will encourage
people to interact with one another,” Kimbley says. “It lifts the
mood and makes people feel better.”
Kimbley has found that her clients feel more at ease talking
to her when they’re physically distracted. “If someone is talking,
they might sort of tap their foot or fidget. They have this energy
they want to redirect somewhere, and they have no outlet for it.
So if Flossie is in this situation, it is much easier for them.”
A therapy pet can also modulate a relationship between a client
and his or her counselor. “You are dealing with powerful and
overwhelming emotions, but you can’t hug a client,” says Kimbley.
“With a dog present, that need is therefore met.”
Emerging research confirms the benefits of pets on people.
A 2009 study found that preschool kids with special needs were
better able to follow directions during assigned tasks if they were
with a trained poodle than when they were alone, with another
human or with a stuffed animal dog. Other research has shown
that animals are social facilitators: people tend to be viewed
as more trustworthy if they have a pet, and pets are known to
instigate more conversations among strangers. Animals can also
lower a person’s anxiety level. “You can see some of the same
changes in physiological response from looking at a fish tank as
you do with petting a dog, cat or a horse,” says Sheryl Pipe, an
adjunct professor of anthrozoology (the study of human-animal
interaction) at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. “But in terms of
social facilitation, that is better suited for mammals.”
Of course, there are certain people who don’t respond well
to animals in their sessions, and therapists need to distinguish
between those who will benefit and those who need pet-free
space. And not just any animal will work. Therapy animals
are most successful when they’re a bit older and have more
experience. There are no set guidelines for training animals used
in therapy, and many groups use their own rubrics. Kimbley makes
sure her animals are properly socialized and can react normally in
a variety of situations.
But, Pipe warns, a therapy animal should be considered a
partner rather than a tool. “We tend to have a greater willingness
to consider the impact on our partner than our tools. We have to
make sure an animal is happy participating and still has adequate
time to behave like the animal that they are,” says Pipe.
“The field is still relatively in its infancy, but the data that’s
beginning to come in is really encouraging in terms of how
impactful this work can be.” Man’s best friend, it seems, can also
be man’s best medicine.
©2014 Time Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted/Translated from TIME and published with
permission of Time Inc. Reproduction in any manner in any language in whole or in part
without written permission is prohibited.
20
21
Saying Goodbye. We thank our therapy
animals who touched many lives during
their years of service.
Sept 30, 2013 - April 15, 2014
RETIRED
ALICE, Boxer, Jennifer Kimberlin, MO
BELLA, Great Pyrenees, Tina L. Jenkins, IN
BLUE, Cairn Terrier, Susan Chapman, IA
BOO, Akita, Myrna Lassiter, OR
BRODY, Labradoodle, Gary Brady, CA
BRUCE, Pomeranian, Susanne J. Wollman, MN
CASE, Golden Retriever, Carrie Stewart, OH
CEREBUS, Australian Shepherd, Gary Brazzell and
Heather Jenkins Brazzell, VA
CHAMPAGNE, Shepherd Mix, Jean Jerbert, CT
CHARLIE, Mastiff, Cindee Kakac, MN
CHARLIE, Labrador Retriever, Kim Schlotterbeck, OR
CLIPPER, Newfoundland, Barbara L. Grob, MI
CONTESSA, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Janice A.
Willis, NC
COZY, Standard Poodle, Micki Marias, OH
DULCIE, Dachshund-Chihuahua Mix, Jennifer Tucker, CA
DUTCHESS, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Martha K.
Bryant, AL
EBBIE JANIE, Pug, Dan and Peggy Mattingly, AZ
FINNEGAN, Maltese, Paula M. Sargent, CA
GABBY, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Vickey P.
Halstead, WA
GEMMA, Golden Retriever, Allison M. Jones, WA
GORDY, Golden Retriever, Dana Staikides, WA
HARLEY, Australian Shepherd, Vincentia Ferrari, WV
HOBIE, Poodle Mix, Pepi Feinblatt, CA
JOSIE, Shih Tzu, Cathy Leschena, MO
JOY, Standard Poodle, Dawn Torine, MN
LOGAN, Golden Retriever, Donald and Kathy
Cunningham, OH
LUATH, Greyhound, Christie Vereide, MN
MADDIE, Schipperke, Anita Read, OR
MADDY, Shih Tzu, Cathy Leschena, MO
MADISON, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Jeanie C.
Calhoun, AR
MAGGIE, West Highland White Terrier, Patricia Nagle, AZ
MME ZOE, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Jeanie C.
Calhoun, AR
NAPPA, Miniature Schnauzer, Linda Blankenship and
D’Ann Downey, GA
OWEN, Newfoundland, Alison J. Berlin, MA
PARKER, Golden Retriever, Linda Edwards, PA
POLLY, Golden Retriever Mix, Melinda Brown, TN
POWDER, Golden Retriever, Catherine Valeriote, CA
RAYMOND, Labrador Retriever Mix, Bonnie S. Keller, OH
RORIE, Maltese, Nancy Wyers, MN
ROXY, Australian Shepherd, Gina Marino, WA
SACHIKO, Japanese Chin, Jean Vafeades, CA
SADIE, Husky Lab Mix, Margaret Forde, CT
SCARLETT, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Jeanie C.
Calhoun, AR
SOPHIE, Standard Poodle, Katie Kunz, WI
SUNNY, Ragdoll Cat, Brendan and Sheila Schneider, FL
TIPPER, Labrador Retriever Mix, Daniel Cesario, WI
TRAPPER JOHN, Papillon, Judith Zar, TX
TRUFFLES, Dachshund, Pamela L. Hoctel, FL
TRUMAN, Black Labrador Retriever, Suni Cookson, CA
ZOE, Beagle, Susan Fertig, NE
PASSED AWAY
ABBEY, Bernese Mountain Dog, Laraine Jeffries, CA
ARA, Shetland Sheepdog, Tracy Newsom, VA
AUBRY, Golden Retriever, Donna Latella, CT
BASIL, Cocker Spaniel, Virginia L. Sensenbrenner, IL
BEAR, Great Pyrenees, Joanne Altemeier, TN
BENTLEY, Standard Poodle, Annie Whalen, CO
BIJOU, Chihuahua, Ellen Nolan, WY
BIX, Flat Coated Retriever, Alyce A. Spoto, IA
BLADE, Rottweiler, Laura Ericson, FL
BLARNEY, Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Christine
O’Reilly, WI
BLUJEANS, Golden Retriever, Jim Harper, CO
BODHI, Lhasa Apso, Fran Miller, OR
BOGIE, Golden Retriever, Sallie Mitchell, CT
BONNIE, Whippet, Jean Good, TX
BREE, Bull Mastiff, Teresia Kolacek, TX
BRIT, Briard, Holly L. Dundore, MN
BRUISER, Shih Tzu, Laura Duerr, NJ
BUDDHA, LeonbergerLisa Pennisi, NE
BUDDY, Golden Retriever, Karen Peckham, WI
BUDDY, Golden Retriever, Jonilynn Gearhart, AZ
BUDDY, Rottweiler Mix, Peter Klebes, AK
BUFFY, Golden Retriever, Gail Grech, CA
BUTTON, Bullmastiff, Shirley L. Fry, OR
CALLIE JO, Border Collie, Melissa Wagner, MO
CATERINA, Labrador Retriever, Barbara l. Miller, OR
CHEERIO, Golden Retriever, Cheryl Croft, NV
“Bentley and I were finishing up our visits for the day. As we headed
toward the door, a patient saw us walking down the hallway. The patient
was with his wife and he was getting a little exercise walking the halls.
I saw a big smile on his face; he said he could not believe what he was
seeing. This beautiful, well-behaved dog, wagging his tail making him
smile, in a hospital! He wanted to get closer, so he knelt down to pet
Bentley. He smiled as he felt Bentley’s soft fur and calming presence
wash over him. For those moments he forgot all about why he was in
the hospital; all his problems were suddenly far, far away. After learning
about Pet Partners, he was so excited to get home and tell his children. Since they wanted to get a dog, getting
involved in Pet Partners would be the biggest reason why they could.” This was submitted by Bentley’s
handler Annie Whalen upon his passing. Although Bentley is gone, it’s uplifting to know that his (and Annie’s)
spirit of service lives on in new teams inspired by their work.
22
Sasha had a gift for knowing who needed her the most. And more often
than not, it was the children: some seriously ill, some struggling with
genetic disorders, some who had never connected with anything until
Sasha walked into the room. Her gentle spirit was covered in enough
silky white fur that the toughest of challenges – if not entire faces – often
disappeared whenever someone cuddled up for a hug. For 10 years,
Sasha and her owner, Dave Kettering, walked the halls of Minnesota health
care facilities, bringing comfort and unconditional love to those who were
hurting. The pair spent thousands of hours together, as Sasha bonded
with adults and children alike and the two became local celebrities in the
Twin Cities. But a decade of hospital visits eventually took a toll, and Sasha
was forced to retire last fall. In March, the dog known as the “fluffy white
angel who sheds” passed away – perhaps no longer shedding, but still
very much an angel.
CHIA SCOLA, Pomeranian, Andrea Scola, NY
CHRISTINA, English Shepherd, Leslie Johnson, KS
CHUNK, Guinea Pig, Krista L. Renta, CA
CLIFFORD, Golden Retriever, Claudine P. Singer, CA
DALLAS, Doberman, Laura A. Galusha, WI
DANCER, Italian Greyhound, Susanne Schulz, NJ
DEVIN, Greyhound, Peggy Clark, AZ
DIAMOND, Boxer, Christine K. Hinton, OH
DIGGER, Bearded Collie, Mary L. Watson, VT
DIXIE, Shih Tzu, Mary Pecoul, MS
DUKE, Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Claudine P.
Singer, CA
ELLA, Labradoodle, Susan Daily, IN
ELLA, Golden Retriever, Sallie Mitchell, CT
ELLIE, German Shepherd, Cici Ely, TX
ELLIOT, Shepherd Mix, Rachael N. Marble, OR
EMBER, Mix Breed Dog, Jennifer L. Fuhrman, IA
ENZO, Brittany, Greg Mancuso, California
GALLAGHER, Briard, Holly L. Dundore, Minnesota
GEMMA, Golden Retriever, Susanna A. Brennan, FL
GIGI, Havanese, Cindy Lipton, AZ
GRACIE, Golden Retriever, Claudine P. Singer, CA
GUS, Pomeranian, Diane C. Olsen, DC
HAPPY, Australian Shepherd, Thomas and Shirley
Deimler, GA
HOPE, Golden Retriever, Jan McLean, MI
IONA MOON, Shih Tzu, Lisa Kalmanson, CA
IRISH, Yellow Labrador Retriever, Sheila A. Thornburgh, CA
J.J., American Eskimo, Karin M. Coombe, OR
JACKSON, Australian Shepherd, Judith C. Young, NC
JENNA, Shepherd Mix, Janell J. Keider, CA
JEWEL, German Shorthaired Pointer, Sharon Strange, VA
JOEY, Labrador Retriever Mix, Marci Matson, VT
JOY, Cocker Spaniel, Carla A. Corey, NH
JOY, Golden Retriever, Samuel W. Morey, AZ
KAYLA JOY, Black Labrador Retriever, Janet J. Nowicki, IN
KAYOSS, Chow Chow, Carmen Jane Booth, CT
KAZZY, Golden Retriever, Ginna B. Priest, TN
KELLOGG, Yellow Lab, Sandy Neufeld, BC
KELSEA, Golden Retriever, Susan Francis, PN
KIP, Border Collie, Kris Brown, OH
KUMA, Newfoundland, Kimberly A. Foster, MA
LANI, Bernese Mountain Dog Mix, Nathan l. Stone, TX
LAYLA, Golden Retriever, Karen M. Artt, AZ
LEYNA, Rottweiler, Jennifer Marcus, Florida
LILY, Standard Poodle, Alan Duncan, CT
LULU, Chihuahua, Sheri Benshian, CA
LUNA, Australian Shepherd, Jai Tomlin, OR
MADGE, Labrador Retriever Mix, Sharon M. Inglis, CO
MAGGIE, Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Nancy S.
Maurer, AZ
MAGGIE, Golden Retriever, Carolyn Buono, KS
MARLEA, Golden Retriever, Janet Deason, CO
MAX, Shetland Sheepdog, Sharon Weiser, CA
MEI MEI, Boxer, Shiu Mei Bassette, TX
MIKEY, Golden Labrador Retriever, Robin D. Lammers, CA
MILLIE, Bullmastiff, Rebeka Perrella, SD
MINNIE, Black Labrador Retriever, Laurie Lett, VA
MINNIE, Dachshund Mix, Betsey W. Roberts, CA
MISTER, French Bulldog, Marilyn M. Edwards, OH
MOCHA, Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Joyce E. Bird, NM
MOLLY, Chocolate Labrador Retriever, Joni L. Stoll, OH
MOLLY, Golden Retriever, Lynn Powell, Texas
MURPHY, Golden Retriever, Sharon Morcom, MI
MURPHY, Golden Retriever Mix, Laura Musil, KS
NIC, Welsh Corgi, Barbara E. Sinclair, AZ
ONESOCK, Husky, Kim Heninger, AK
OREO, Lop-eared Rabbit, Marcy Ellenbogen, CA
ORI, Black Labrador Retriever, Nancy O’Brien, IL
PATOU, Great Pyrenees, Michelle Coburn, AK
PAYSON, Labrador Retriever Mix, Julie Moran, AZ
PEACHES, Golden Retriever, Kathy E. Larson, CA
PRINCESS, Labrador Retriever, Adam Mielke, WI
PUMPKIN, Domestic Feline, Carol Olson, NE
QUINN, Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, LuAnn S.
Rogers, OH
RAINBOW, Greyhound, Sharon L. Fricke, KS
RALPHIE, Pitbull mix, Marc Garland, OH
RIZZO, Golden Retriever, Janet R. Morganm OH
ROCKY, German Shepherd, Stuart Davidson, ME
ROCKY, Labrador Retriever, Everett and Linda Lyon, VT
ROSIE, Scottish Terrier, Ruth H. Hodos, CA
ROSIE, Golden Retriever, Sara Rostand, CA
ROXIE, English Bulldog, Scott J. Franklin, NY
ROXIE, Golden Retriever, Cynthia Bennetts, CA
RUBY, West Highland White Terrier, Patricia H. Quillen, VA
RUDY, Golden Retriever, Jo M. Lepse, KS
RUSTY, Sheltie, Barbara Schoof, AZ
SADIE, Mastiff, Victoria Soares, CA
SADIE, Labrador Retriever, Ann Ganger, IL
SAMMY, Australian Shepherd, Sue E. Reid, WI
SANDY, Chesapeake Bay Retriever, Patricia Williams, WA
SARAH, Labrador Retriever Mix, Wendy Panikker, CT
SASHA, Samoyed, David Kettering, MN
SAVANNAH, Domestic Rat, Vicki L. Altman, KS
SCHNOZ, Fox Terrier, Keirsten Rain, NY
SNOOPY, Miniature Schnauzer, Charles Brown, SC
SOPHIE, Akita, Alena Picha, LA
SOPHIE, Shepherd Mix, Whitney Mason, WA
SPREE, Great Dane, Claire Burke, MT
SUNDANCE, Golden Retriever, Diana Salla, OH
TAREK, Great Pyrenees, Sarah Wylly, TX
TEDDY BEAR, Yorkshire Terrier, Sheila Marie Anderson, FL
TESS, Shetland Sheepdog, Robert Daliege, AZ
TIKVA, Keeshond, Cindy L. Ehlers, OR
TOBY, Golden Retriever, Deb Jansky, WI
TWEED, Border Terrier, Gayle H. Tilles, CA
VAREKAI, Yellow Labrador Retriever, Caitlin Smith, OR
WIFI, Australian Cattle Dog, Noreen R. Yoshida-Peer, CA
ZEKEY, Cockatoo, Susan Crane, PA
ZOE, Golden Retriever, Ellen G. Emert, CT
ZUZU, Siberian Husky, Elizabeth Friend-Ennis, NY
23
THINGS WE LIKE
Pet Partners Caring Community
Pet Partners wishes to thank the following families who have made provisions in their estate planning for Pet Partners. We appreciate their
support that will make their love last forever.
Willmetta & Charles
Allen *
Dr. Robert Anderson *
Anonymous
Dr. Donna Baer
Grace & Larry Ballentine
Bernard Baron *
Valerie & Richard Beck
Sally Becker *
Barbara & David Bell
Marie Bickel *
Nancy & William Biery
Frances Bleick *
Margaret Bott *
Helen Boyd
Florence Burkholder
Dr. Leo Bustad *
Marite Butners
Helen Caradonna *
Dr. Betty Carmack
Dr. Craig & Ronda Carter
Dr. Gary & Mary Lynn
Champion
Dr. Aphrodite Clamar
Cohen
Sheila Cohen
Fred Cole II *
Eugenia Colman *
Melody Cook
Deborah Morgan Couples *
Sophie & Derek
Craighead
Dr. Merry Crimi
Dr. Roy & Lydia Cruzen
Janna De Lue
Karl Denniss *
Stephanie Denniss *
Barbara Dimock *
The Dogfather (James
Schwartz)
Virginia Louis Doris *
Lt. Cmdr. Constance Dorn
Dr. D’Ann Downey
Trudy Doyle *
Jon & Lynnette Eastlake
Karen Edwards
Dr. Joan Engel
Cristine Kossow and Walter Stugis pictured
Lillian Thomas Jones
Eure *
Janet Fisher
Dr. Robert & Catherine
Franklin
Ann Fuller *
Harold Galbraith
Nora Gallaher
Gilbert Glass
Carol Gonnella
Charles Granoski Jr.
Jane Marie Griffin *
Katharine & Goody
Harding
Barbara Harris
Dr. James Harris
Todd Hendricks
Mary Hill
Linda Hines
Cheryl Hovanick
Robin Huckeba
Gladine Hudoff *
Jennifer Jarpe
Joan & Bill Jensen
Cristine
Kossow
and
Walter
Stugis
We became involved with Pet Partners because of our
own direct experience with the healing power of the
human-animal bond and are glad that Pet Partners
works to prove and promote the bond through scientific
investigation – not just stories such as ours.
It has been the very presence of our cats (Blue, deceased,
and Moon, anything but) and our mutt Ursa that soars
our spirits and calms our blood pressures on an hourly
basis. We can measure that healing impact by our own
internal mood meters. And once a month for five years,
we traveled two hours up the Hudson to visit Cristine’s
father in the NY State Firefighters retirement home –
24
Jacqueline Joseph
George Keely *
Marion Kline *
Cristine Kossow
Marguerite Lachs *
Susan Lilley
Carolynn Loacker
Rebecca Lovejoy
Barbara & Wendell
Loveless
Esther Lyndon
Betty and Kendall
Manning
Dr. Bill & Janice
McCulloch
Dr. Michael McCulloch *
Marilyn McDaniel *
Leatrice Meyers *
Dr. Queenie Mills *
Wayne Minter *
Louis Carl Mirabile *
Marion Mitton
Marilyn & David Mize
Davelie & Russell Morgan
Maria Myckaniuk
Tom Nelson
Billyanna Niland *
Katharine Quinn Nolan *
Jeannie & Bruce
Nordstrom
Lawrence Norvell
Kyoko O’Neill
Martha Jane Pearcy
John Remer Jr.
Mark Rosenblum
Debbie & Robert Ross
Michelle & Ed Sayres
Dr. Olivia Scarse
Theodore Schneider *
Jacquetta Schulz *
Mal Schwartz
Alfred Siegel
Michael Siwula
Jean & Bob Sneed
Carol & Mark Spisak
Sandra Squires
Dr. Wayne & Sharon
Sternberger
Stuard Estate *
Walter Stugis
Ingrid Sunzenauer
Sarah Sweatt
Dr. Gregg & Laura
Takashima
Anne Taubman
Edith Lee Taylor *
Dr. Irving Taylor
Ella Mae & Doc Thomas
Dr. Lorna Vanderzanden
Verrill Family Trust *
Eleanor Vigil
Jean Vollum *
Dr. William Warley
Linda & Craig Wescoatt
Julianne Whitcomb
Woodside Estate *
Dorothy Wynn *
* Bequest received.
where we brought Ursa from room to room to light up
the faces of one grand old fireman after another. The
nursing staff also loved Ursa’s visits for the way that she
doled out her spirit-lifting medicine to the gentlemen. We
support Pet Partners because we believe in that healing
power of the human-animal bond and we applaud
how Pet Partners makes it their mission to deliver that
medicine on a multi-million-dose scale – which is so
sorely needed.
We are encouraged by the recent strategic commitment
to take the next steps to acquire an advanced technology
platform. Once that investment is made to equip our
legions of Pet Partners teams and supporters with
technology driven tools to communicate with each
other and the broader community of pet lovers, and our
medical care community partners, the sky is the limit. We
can imagine the smiles that my Ursa put onto the faces
of octogenarian firefighters multiplied by the millions,
and I get kind of excited. This is one of many reasons that
we support Pet Partners’ Caring Community and have
provided for Pet Partners’ future in our estate planning.
Cristine Kossow attended the Parsons School of Design. She has
designed all the graphic signs for the NYC Marathon for seven years
and now concentrates on her fine art paintings and pastels. Walter
Stugis is a graduate of Hamilton College and the NYU Stern School
of Business; is the chief strategist for the Institute for Nonprofit
Excellence and is a Captain in the Hastings-on-Hudson, NY volunteer
fire department.
NORBERT: WHAT CAN LITTLE ME DO?
This inspirational picture book features a real-life Pet Partners therapy dog,
written by his handler Julie Freyermuth. Determined to find his true purpose
in life, Norbert learns that being little doesn’t mean you can’t make a big
difference in the world. Illustrated with lovely artwork by Virginia Freyermuth
(the author’s mother), this book recently earned the 2014 Silver Winner of the
Nautilus Book Awards in the Children’s Picture Book category which recognizes
books embodying positive social change and inspirational reading for children.
Special offer: Purchase a hard copy of the book at https://pollyparkerpress.
leadpages.net/norbertbook/ and receive a FREE copy of the eBook version.
HABRICENTRAL.ORG
An essential component of Pet Partners mission is the promotion of
“positive human-animal interactions to improve the physical, emotional and
psychological lives of those we serve.” If you are interested in digging deeper
into the scientific research behind this thinking, the HABRI Central website is
one of the best resources in the world for information. HABRI (Human-Animal
Bond Research Initiative) has an online database of more than 17,000 research
entries that validate the positive roles of pets and animals in the integrated
health of families and communities, leading to informed decisions in human
health. HABRI supports research, education, and other charitable activities that
validate the positive impact the Human-Animal Bond can have on the integrated
health of families and communities. This has been a valuable tool to the staff
and teams of Pet Partners and a recommended resource for information on the
subject. www.habricentral.org
THE CAT THAT WENT
TO HOMECOMING
Ellen Jones, the main character in The Cat That Went to Homecoming, is bullied
by her adolescent peers. Over the course of a summer, Ellen experiences
personal growth through registering with her sweet cat Hershey as a Pet
Partners therapy animal team.
This book addresses many serious social issues including family separation,
bullying, homophobia, social isolation, and depression. The compelling story
is also about fun, friendship and forgiveness. The transformations throughout
the novel are not always a direct result of Hershey’s affectionate personality,
but Ellen does gain self-confidence as she gets involved with Pet Partners. This
strength helps her overcome many other problems in her life.
The author of The Cat that went to Homecoming, Julie Otzelberger, is a
registered Pet Partners handler with her cat Bear in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
She states that the book is based on her own experiences and hopes that it
will inspire other adolescents to discover the benefits of volunteering with Pet
Partners, both for the clients and for the handlers themselves.
25
Honor and Memorial Donations
Stacie Lundquist
Taya Moxley-Goldsmith
Special thanks to the following donors who, by contributing
to Pet Partners, remember the special spirit of an animal or
person that touched their lives.
Ralph Magee
Teresa Ard
Carol Maslansky
Steve Maslansky
Waldo & Ada Matchette
Jeanette & John
Matchette
Alice McCollum
Betty & Kendall Manning
In Honor of
Susie Alvadj
Kay & Carl Parker
Mark Ames & Victoria
Reck
Alden Taylor
Atlanta Pet Partners,
Inc.
Christine Thompson
Mariola & George
Bergquist
Dr. Linda Walters
Bideawee Learning
Center - Wantagh
Joseph Moosbrugger
Nancy GeorgeMichalson
Mimi, Bob & Esther Karlin
Carol & Mike Rosen
Ellen Klein
Takoda Borsini
Carolyn Borsini
Katharine Harding
Bridget Beattie
The Rosenthal Clan
Michael Rosenthal
Drake & Norman Carroll
Jackie Carroll
Dianne Hughes
Dr. Claire Peel
Bill & Robin Hunt
Barbara Rowe
Kevin King
Jeffrey Nelson
Lynn Loacker
Murlene Madison
Gus & Mary Magrinat
Amy Magrinat
Kabir Cohen
Alyssa Sharkey
Marlene Maheu, Laura
Struhl & Olivia
Teri Louden
Dr. Larry McAfee
Pam Soltis
Ann & Teddy
Rosenwasser
PEO Chapter FQ
Alex Sahrane &
Madison Ecker
Carol Hatton
Schilsky family & pets
Rena Wynne Schilsky
Debra Flores
Lisa Roberts
Catherine Ford &
Jeremy Todd
Sally Walker
Kathy & John Ford
Sally Walker
26
Portland area
volunteers
Shanna Brownstein
Joetta Prost & Kathy
Shell
Robert O’Hara
Shirley Brochester
Stephanie Calmenson
Sophie Mason
Whitney Mason
Clifford A. Brodricks
Terri Malmgren
Cleo McIntosh
Sharon McIntosh
Judy Brown
Suzanne & John Arland
Carole Bloodgood
Herb Brown
Hancock Regional
Hospital Guild
Dr. Dawn Merritt
Doug Moore
Wendell & Narcissa Smith
Molly Morgan
Davelie & Russell Morgan
Dudley Nelson
Greta Nelson
Dusty Nishinaga
Anne Kiyomi Nishinaga
Andrew Rittermal
Elizabeth Rittermal
Oliver Rivera
Dr. Gerald Scharfman
Nate & Merle Spisak
Mark & Carol Spisak
Team Dragon Diggers
Eric Paget
Jane Fields
Miriam Fields
Pete & Annie Franklin
Patricia Franklin
Shasta Taylor
Judy Taylor
Aditi Vyas
Anonymous
Pet Partners leadership
team
Brenda Bax
Malibu Wind Maroney
Mary Maroney
Kiska & Lowell
Tannehill
Linda Tannehill
Pat & Bentley Miya
Don O’Leary
The O’Neill Family
Barbara Fageol
Olive Donahue
Janet Donahue
Oreo Ellenbogen
Marcy Ellenbogen
Tim & Lauren Crowley
Philip Weihl
Ann Danner
Betsie Danner
Casey Cuppy
Donald Cuppy
Michele Siegel
Mimi, Bob & Esther Karlin
Evan Meltzer
Lisa Meltzer
Lyman Neuschaefer
Steffany Neuschaefer
Daisy Crawford
Suzanne Crawford
Buddy Dreyer
Regina Dreyer
Anna Voytek & Ch&a
Fausphoul
Madeleine Orr
Wayne Daniel
David Jolley
Bailey & Molly Cook
Christine Cook
Anne Sheley & Karen
Echols
Traci Hagler
Phillip & Jefferson
Crouse
Wesley Crouse
Nick Ess
Nick Ess
Raizel, Ketzel & Shepzel
Bin-Nun
Dr. Judith Bin-Nun
Lauren Guarneri
Michael Guarneri
Carol, Willoughby &
Jenni Coates
CarePartners Foundation
The Corazao Family
Michelle Corazao
Monika Rogasch, Judy
Scott & Steve Kelly
Rosario Rogasch
Jinny & David WoodallGainey
Pat Davidson
In Honor of
Pets
Amos, Spencer & Teddy
Barron
Darlene Barron
Scarlett & Caneel
Barton
Pat Barton
Maggie Batten
Jean Batten
Linda Buettner, PhD
Fay Marie Gardner
Al Cooperman
Michelle Kimmelman
Margaret Craig
Dawn Lum
Mark A. Dinger
Cynthia Brock
Tyler Dodge
Dr. Bettina Riccio
Richard “Bucky” Flint
Wendi & Bruce Rank
Alfie Gladstein
Lisa Gladstein
Teddy Knopman
Asya Varshisky
Kimball Glassco, Sr.
James Whistler
Chai Gunderson
Andrea Gunderson
Rigley Vernon
Carol Vernon
Harold Harris
Kathleen Duffy
Arizona Jaeger
Betty Fortney
Dash Whitman
Patricia Whitman
Chloe Kearns
Karen Kearns
In Memory of
Mr. Kobe Kilian
Dave Kilian
Baby Kirtner
Karin Kirtner
Jasper Long
Janice Long
Faye Axelrod
Richard Sperling
Harriette Babb &
Stewart
Holly Brown
Tanya Bickley
Louise Kaminer
Masako Hayakawa
Chesi Ho
Dr. Estelle Sandhaus
Jerry Hill
Leigh & Roger Nowell
David Jones
Jase Schwartz
Kara Kelleher
Peter Hess
David Lerner
Loryn Halper
Jane McCulloch
Dr. Stanley & Darlene
Diesch
Dr. Bill & Janice
McCulloch
Sue McGown
Margo Isaacks
Madelin McTague
Linda Freeze
Shirley & Greg
Romszewicz
Bob Michalson
Nancy George-Michalson
Marilyn Shapiro
Queenie B. Mills, PhD
Clover Gowing
Rodney Mortenson
Monroe Kaplan
George Pressler
Jenabeth Ferguson
Dr. Robert Rauch
Dr. Perry Opin
Morton Rudberg
Linda Vickery
Steven Saint-Aubin
Lynn Harrigan
Debbie Sannes
Dawn Steel
Janie Senft
Bette Resis
Noboru Takashima
Dr. Mike Flynn & Kim
Ratuski
Olga Tarara
Mary Jo Piazza
Kathy Tegarden
Briley Culton
Janet Thall
Falon Terry
Cher Gaddis
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Dolly & Murphy Harris
Walter Harris
Daphney Deaner
Duane Deaner
Kitty Gilbert
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Amy Harris
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Thomas DeForge
Ronald Yucas
Rocky Giles
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Rusty Heasley
Diane Heasley
Rose Brown
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Happy Deimler
Shirley & Thomas Deimler
Rosie Gillio
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Mr. Murphy Herod
Carole Sandy
In Memory of
Pets
Stormy Bubis
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Jersey Desautels
Dr. Lynn Desautels
Hershey Glotz
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Isabella Hill
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Tigger Allsopp
Jennifer Fedorchak
Louie Burchall
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Gracie Devivo
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Gabriel Gold
Terry Gold
Fiona Bologna
Anderson
Katrina Anderson
Cocoa Carter
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Sidney Dhossou
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Bonnie Good
Jean Good
Tasha Anderson
Tender Paws
Smokey & Max Church
John Church
Pepper Andrews
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Sasha Churchville
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Jamie Tulchin
Atlantic Theater Company
Walter Bregman
W.R. “Tute” & Opal
Waltman
Jeanette & John
Matchette
Sandi Wisdom
Juliene Hiatt
Baby Bacin
Valerie Jenkins
Fez Baretta
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Casey, Di & Norman
Borodinsky
Louis & Barbara
Borodinsky
Angel Bowers
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Tiger Clare
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Nutmeg Deane
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Tiger Galileo Diaz
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Thor Diorio
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Katie Doherty
Joyce Strickler
Buster Cohen
Martha Harris
Jazz Doss
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Yaya Collins
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Kiwi Elbert
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Chandler Barry
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Finley Conrad
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Goldie Fannoney
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Mei Mei Bassette
Shiu Mei Bassette
J.J. Coombe
Karin Coombe
Heidi Beard
Mona Beard
Arpege Coopersmith
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
PT Barrick
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Reese Beaucamp
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Daisy Beaudry
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Rizzo Beck
Lynnette & Jon Eastlake
Bella Beville
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Chelsea Biedronski
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Mocha Bird
Carlsbad Pet Therapy
Association, Inc.
Barbara Stafford
Millie Coyle
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Sampson Craley
Brenda Craley
Cheerio Croft
Sue Grundfest
Malcom Culbreath
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Taz Cummings
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Ella Daily
Sarah DeLone
Ollie Davis
Carol Michaels
Moses Feigel
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Jake Filderman
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Cocoa Fine
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Cheech Fitzgibbons
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Precious Fleissner
Joyce Fleissner
Annie Gordon-Lentsch
Dr. Sarah White
Melody Gotowski
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Chopper Grant
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Cody McGee Gregoire
Meredith Tennis
Lola Griffin
Deborah & Hupert
Fassett
Lola Griffin
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Kirby Grundfest
Kelly Leerman
Stinkie Gruzlewski
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Chelsea & Haley
Grzegorzewski
Cindy Grzegorzewski
Jynx Gudyka
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Tuba Gwynn
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Chrissy Hall
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Kela Foley
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Bentley Hamilton
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Franklin family pets
Patricia Franklin
Absinthe Haney
Dani Weiss
Wylie Fultz
Dr. Paul McCullough
Blujeans Harper
Anonymous
Marley Holmes
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Maggie Humes
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Muffin Ingram
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Nicholas Jessup-Posey
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Champ Joblonski
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Lily Jones
Stephanie Calmenson
Medea Kaeser
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Simba Kaplan
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Alric Kassiday
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Jenna Keider
CHOC Children’s at
Mission Hospital
Barbara Rawnsley
Nancy Singleton
Sophie Kennedy
Julie Delano
Bumper Kessler
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Twinkle Klingenberg
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Peggy Knieps
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Ozzy Kopczynski
Dr. Scott Gallatin
27
Polly Kotlarz
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Rocko Mogbo
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Bunny Parker
Dr. Bettina Riccio
Ivory Ryan
Marilyn Ryan
Suzy Terwilliger
Anne Terwilliger
Flip Kucher
Rolf Kucher
KC Mohr
&rea & Robert Mohr
Maddie Parker
Katharine Harding
Happy San Agustin
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Fluffy Lambert
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Scooby Montano
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Jake & Dutch Paskert
Sara & Thomas Paskert
Chessie, Raggs, Simba,
Jasmine & Brandy
Thielen
Suzanne Thielen
Bailey Leerman
Sue Grundfest
Payson Moran
Julie Moran
Ace Leslie
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Hudson Lighter
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Gigi Lipton
Nancy Maurer
Basil Lobel
Melissa Hoppe
Gracie Loratto
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Sadie MacKenzie
Judy MacKenzie
Noel Moreland
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Lexi Morris
Dr. L. Austin Strauch
Sherman, Kobe, Britany
& Noel Moser
Sue Moser
Mocha Mural
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Snuggles Murillo
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Honey Pate
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Max Pelino
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Nellie Perich
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Smokey Perry
David Perry
Zonker Pherson
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Gustafson Pherson
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Scooter Poe
J.R. & Buddy Poe
Harley Malzi
Peggy Ann Bizjak
Chloe Nealon
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Layla Powell
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Pie Mansfield
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Mickey Nouravarsani
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Bodhi Whippet Powers
Linda Sobottka
Sadie Martin
Stephanie Calmenson
Dottie “The Dot Cat”
O’Brien
William O’Brien
Mac Mathis
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Maggie Maurer
John Dallmus
Zeus Mayers
Adele Mayers
Tessi McCadam
Paul & Marsha McCadam
Juno McCall
Nelda McCall
Sonny, Ruby, Willy,
Gordon, Riley & Megan
McConnaughey
Paula Simon
Molly Medel
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Romeo Mensone
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Maggie Miller
Jeanette Matchette
28
Timber O’Connor
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Linus Pratt
Holly Pratt
Frankie Proffitt
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Jaeger Sasser
Barry & Paulette Mills
Smokey Schultz
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Dancer Schulz
Darlene Slezak
Chia Scola
Greer Griffith
Mack Sherman
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Bandit Thorne
Lawrence Edelblum
Lucy Tornello
Joyce Strickler
Wi-Fi Yoshida-Peer
Dr. Lois Abrams
Beringer Tousley
Martha Tousley
Calypso Young
Jennie Marsh
Molly VanLiew
Dr. Sarah Kaufman
Nic Sinclair
Barbara Norval Sinclair
Missy Walsh
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Onyx Sinclair
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Angel Ware
Marilee W. Snyder
Baxter Smith
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Ranger Spark
Didi & Dike Dame
Bix Spoto
Jay Brady
Tracker Worker
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Baron Wurzberger
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
B, B, B, B, B & Amy
Shoop
Charles Shoop
Barney & Monty Skelly
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Mystic Wood
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Butters Tillman
Marian Tillman
Dallas Cowboy Turner
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Gabby Jane
Weatherbee
Gloria Weatherbee
WHAT’S NEW
Presley Wise
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
PEER
-TO-
PEER
Pet Partners and many of our volunteers from
across the country have been participating
in Peer-to-Peer online giving. Also known as
social fundraising, it gives Pet Partners’ fans
Amkus Werkman
Dr. Scott Gallatin
the opportunity to share their passion for our
Jimmy White
Gloria White
raise funds to support our teams and their work.
Sassy White
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
to tell and we have been excited to have their
mission with their friends and family and help to
Pet Partners advocates have exceptional stories
help. P2P fundraising gives individual teams the
Harley Proffitt
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Midnite Stair
Bruce & Beth Stair
Shams O’Leary
Dr. Rebecca Clearman
Fiona-Rose Redman
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Tazzy Stoller
Lucky Seven Foundation
Philip Stoller
Maya Wilder
Dr. Scott Gallatin
lower expenses.
Pumpkin Olson
Carol Olson
Suzy Reinhart
Sharon Cook
Lani Stone
Angel Paws, Inc.
Ashlyn Wilderman
Elaine Wilderman
Our congratulations go out to Christina Bunn,
Nissa O’Malley
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Treasure Ricketts
Barbara Ricketts
Carmella Strachan
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Bijou Binks Williams
Liliana Williams
our top fundraisers in the very first campaign.
Kelly Ortner
Stephanie Calmenson
Flash Rostand
Nancy Lippman
Tedd Rosenfeld
Dutchess O’Donnell
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Heidi Pachter
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Pete Palmer
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Oscar Royer
Anne Marie Scibelli
Tex Ruff
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Maya May Russell
Julie A. Russell
Ruth Suwanski
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Sophie & Tucker
Taubman-Boyle
Helena Galper
Jingle Temple
Lora Whitney
Oreo Wilberg
Negola’s Ark Veterinary
Hospital
Lassie Cat Williamson
Jan Williamson
Buddy Wilson
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Max Wilson
Dr. Scott Gallatin
Clementine Winters
Dr. Scott Gallatin
opportunity to help raise funds through a simple
online process and earn prizes that include the
waiving of their registration fee, vests, etc. to
Joseph Greeff, Debra Kelly and Tara Martinez,
• The Team Evaluator Policies and Procedures Guide has been
updated with a new look and feel, as well as some content
updates. Available this June, It can be found on the Evaluator
Resources page at www.petpartners.org/EvaluatorResources
• The educational resource, Animal Assisted Crisis Response, was
released in late March to provide resources to teams interested
in doing this important work and may also be found on the Pet
Partners website.
• Based on the popularity of Volunteering with Your Pet, we
have planned two specialty webinars for cat and horse owners
interested in what it takes to become a registered team with Pet
Partners. If you or someone you know miss the live presentation,
they will be available for playback on our website free of charge.
Horses are featured in July and cats in October.
• The new continuing education course, Visiting Clients with
Alzheimer’s and Other Forms of Dementia, is targeted to be
available in July free of charge for all registered teams.
• An Evaluator Symposium is scheduled for October 11-12 in the
San Pedro/Los Angeles area to discuss how we can ensure
the Pet Partners evaluation continues to be the professional
standard among AAT programs. For registration information go to
petpartners.org/team-evaluator-symposium
• Several practicums are scheduled to be held during the spring
and summer of 2014, including Tucson AZ, Cincinnati OH,
Madison WI, Portland OR, Rome GA, Roanoke VA and more. For
information, go to www.petpartners.org
WEBINAR DATES
For Prospective Handlers
• Volunteering with Your Pet, May 21, with Susan Tiss
• Volunteering with Your Horse, July 17, with Victoria Nodiff-Netanel
• Volunteering with Your Cat, Oct 24, with Dion Dostaler
• Volunteering with Your Pet, Nov 17, with Susan Tiss
For Current Handlers
• Renew or Retire? Keeping Your Animal Happy, July 30, with
Patricia Tirrell
• Visiting from Your Animal’s Perspective, Aug 7, with Kate Titus
Thank you to all who participated.
If you would like to take part in the next
Peer-2-Peer campaign, please send an email
to P2P@petpartners.org with “YES 2nd
round” in the subject line.
For Team Evaluators
• Giving Effective Feedback to NA/NR Teams, June 26,
with Laure MacConnell
• Evaluating Rabbits and Guinea Pigs, September 25, with Patti Anderson
For registration and questions email supportolc@petpartners.org
29
875 - 124th Ave NE, Ste. 101
Bellevue, WA 98005-2531
NON-PROFIT ORG.
U.S. POSTAGE
PAID
PERMIT NO.71
Bellevue, WA
Pet Partners is the leader in demonstrating and promoting
positive human-animal interaction to improve the physical,
emotional and psychological lives of those we serve.
Pet Partners, founded in 1977, is a pioneer in the field
of researching and promoting the health benefits of the
human-animal bond.
•The prevalence of this field of study has grown dramatically
over the past 37 years. Academic research continues through
many prestigious organizations.
•Animal-Assisted Therapy is now widely recognized and respected
as an adjunct treatment modality in many professions.
•Pet Partners has increased our presence as the Gold Standard
for visiting animal programs across North America.
30