Can a dog (or a cat, bunny, horse, etc…) help improve your health? The answer is YES! Therapy animals are becoming more popular and widely used these days. What is a therapy animal? It’s a trained and certified animal whose mission is to provide comfort, help reduce stress and anxiety, and bring peace and joy to us humans. Therapy animals are used in a number of ways including visiting people in the hospital, visiting schools during exam week, visiting nursing home residents and visiting libraries to participate in reading programs. Our CCPL Library is very happy that we have partnered with Pets on Wheels to provide therapy animals during our virtual monthly Paws to Read program where children (or adults) can read to a friendly furry friend. We currently have several dogs, a cat, and two bunnies.
We’d like to introduce you to them:
Tucker:
Tucker is a Golden Retriever who has been with Pets on Wheels for three years and he LOVES to be read to and will often lay down and turn over for a nice belly rub. Whether it be at the school or library, Tucker can be seen laying down next to the reader and listening attentively until he gets so relaxed he falls asleep. The kids sometimes use him as a pillow.
Blue:
Blue Montegue is a 2 year old French Bulldog who has been a Pets on Wheels volunteer for 1 year. He especially enjoys using his super powers of hearing – he likes others read to him and rub his belly. He is a regular at the Veterans home and loves running up to residents and sticking his tongue out at them to make them smile.
Callie:
Callie – short for Calamity Jane – is a border collie/husky mix. She has been with Pets on Wheels for 6 years and loves being read to. As you can see, Callie enjoys dressing up!
