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Way to go Shana & Ellen!
2010 Last year, fifteen year old Shana Coffey, along with her mom, Ellen, and their Landmark Labradoodles, Hershey and Beauty, started a Pet Therapy program at the Village for Families and Children, in Hartford, CT. Once a month, they spend time with three different groups of children, who are either receiving behavioral health treatment or experiencing short-term placement as the result of abuse or neglect. Interacting with Hershey and Beauty allows the children to experience the happiness that dogs can bring to our lives, and also teaches them gentleness and caring. In addition, the visits are therapeutic for children who may be missing the pets which were part of their lives prior to placement at the Village.
Shana explains that many children begin a visit shy and reserved, but by the end they are laughing and playing with the dogs, grooming them, or just sitting and spending time with them. On one visit, Shana recalls “There was a little boy who was just sitting apart and not interacting with the group, but when I began to have the children walk Beauty with me using a second leash, he started to seem more interested. He then said that he wanted to try. He took the leash in one hand, put his other hand on Beauty’s back, and walked the entire path just like that. By the end of his turn he was smiling and giggling. He returned his leash to me, went to stand with his sister, and she was smiling too. It made my day knowing that I could bring that kind of joy to children whose lives have been filled with more than their fair share of hardship.”
A member of a local organization called Tails of Joy, Inc., Shana took a series of training classes with Beauty, passed the required testing, and became a registered Pet Partner with the national Delta Society at the age of thirteen. A year later, she tested and became registered with Hershey as well. A life-long animal lover, Shana is dedicated to her pet therapy work and hopes to one day pursue a career in veterinary medicine. But she knows that she couldn't possibly do what she does without her best friends, Hershey and Beauty. Both have proven to have all the qualities necessary to pet therapy work, including intelligence, trainability and a joyful and gentle temperament.
Here is Dejembe - formally known as Cookie from Chevy's last litter:
Click on this link to watch his progress as his puppy raisers update their blog:
http://mainepets.mainetoday.com/blogentry.html?id=14951
Maggie is one of our pups that we donated to the Northstar Foundation She is a pup from Cocoa & Sparky October 13, 2006 litter!
Click for a larger image
2/4/07 8/2/07
. Article posted with permission from the Daily Record
10/15/2007 - Another heartwarming story about Maggie and her family
Link posted with permission from The Day
Hi again Barbie! Here's some pictures from Camp Prime Time this
past
weekend. The boys had a blast and Maggie was so well behaved and
everyone loved her! There was another service dog there also. A
yellow lab named Murphy who is trained to let his handler know when
her blood sugar is too low (diabetes). The dogs really liked each
other and I got a picture of them together. Maggie was a great
conversation starter and of course all the children asked to pet
her.
It really helped Kyle and Austin with their socializing. Kyle also
slept a lot better at night knowing Maggie was there. To be honest,
I
slept better too since the cabin did not have a lock on the door and
I
know Maggie would have let us know if someone had tried to get in.
It
was wonderful having Maggie with us and I'm hoping we can do this
again next year. Please feel free to post any of the photos that you
like. I think everyone should know what marvelous dogs you raise and
breed! Hope you have a wonderful day Barbie!
Sharlene
Walker passed his certified Therapy training back in 2004. He is a Cookie & Mister pup.
Hershey is a Cookie & Mister pup from the same litter as Walker. She has also passed her Delta Society therapy training!
On October 21, 2007, Hershey and her handler Ellen Coffey passed their Delta Society renewal testing, earning recertification as a Pet Partner therapy team for another two year period. Ellen and Hershey make weekly visits to the Hebrew Home and Hospital in West Hartford. Hershey has made many friends at the Home over the past two years, and has many loyal residents (and staff) who look forward to her visits. Many residents familiarize themselves with her schedule and eagerly wait for Hershey to arrive. Hershey also knows her special friends and sits patiently alongside many a wheelchair so the residents can enjoy the warmth and softness of her curly coat. She is happy to give a paw to anyone who asks, and especially enjoys passing by the facility’s gift shop where she knows a bag of treats is waiting just for her in a special drawer of the cashier counter. After visiting with the residents, it is heartwarming to hear them thank Hershey and tell her that she has “made their day.” This is just what the Delta Society Pet Partner Program is all about!
Fenway is a Cookie & Nova pup who also passed his Delta Society test and is now a certified Therapy dog.
