Pet Encounter Therapy

Farley, a lovely 7-year-old Aussie, was in desperate need of a forever family to love her. A small rescue group in Central California had taken her in but they knew that she would have a better chance of finding the perfect home if they transferred her down to the Helen Woodward Animal Center.  A kind lady offered to drive her down and soon Farley was tucked into her kennel at the Center awaiting her forever person.

Meanwhile, a Center Pet Encounter Therapy (PET) volunteer named Candy was still coming to terms with the passing of her beloved Aussie that had worked in the PET department for many years. Candy knew that she wanted to adopt another Aussie that would hopefully become a therapy dog but was hesitant to start her search because the holidays were right around the corner. She planned to start looking in the new year.  But fate didn’t want to wait that long and had to work overtime to bring these two together!

First, an Education department employee decided to spend her lunch hour visiting the adoptable dogs and noticed sweet Farley. She then mentioned her in passing to a PET staff member whose ears perked up at the mention of an Aussie looking for a home. Candy was called immediately and was told to “get down here now.”

Candy got down to the Center as fast as she could and met Farley, but was still unsure about adopting considering she was driving up to her sister’s house in Central California the next day for Thanksgiving and didn’t know if it was fair to adopt a dog and immediately turn around and ask the dog to do a seven hour road trip. So she went home without Farley and called her sister who said “go back and get that dog!” She took a leap of faith that it would work out and adopted Farley as soon as the kennels opened the next day and then hit the road to visit her sister. Fast forward to the next day when Candy was sitting on her sister’s sofa with Farley and heard a knock at the door. In walked one of her sister’s friends who immediately stopped when she saw Farley and said “where did you get that dog?”.  Candy started to explain that she had just adopted her from Helen Woodward Animal Center when the woman stopped her to say “but I was the one who drove her down there from the rescue up here!”

Everyone in room was stunned to realize the full circle journey that Farley had taken to find her forever person. So many things had to fall into place to make the adoption possible and it was easy to see that Candy was always meant to be her family. And Farley was also meant to be a therapy dog because it was only a few months later when she passed her certification test with flying colors. Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together?

Solo, a beautiful Afghan hound, is always the topic of conversation when he enters a room on a Pet Encounter Therapy (PET) visit. At first, comments range from “ he is so handsome” to “ is that a pony or a dog?” but soon you only hear clients talk about how gentle and sweet he is as he quietly stands next to them to be pet.

Rootbeer, a handsome appaloosa mini horse, is also the main topic of conversation at any PET visit because you just don’t see a mini horse at a skilled nursing facility every day, right? Rootbeer and his best friend Edward have galloped their way into so many hearts around San Diego and Rootbeer is known for being especially patient when approaching a client and waiting for their hand to reach out and scratch his dappled coat.

Two great therapy animals but who would have thought that their gentle and kind hearts would  not only reach out to our clients but also to each other.

Solo and Rootbeer first met at an alternative high school visit in the North County. Rootbeer had just gotten off the trailer and walked around to see a very large dog looking at him with interest.  This sight is not something a prey animal really wants to see, so he backed away as Solo’s handler also backed away because we always maintain a safety buffer between animals on visits to keep everyone safe. Solo and Rootbeer, along with the other therapy teams, walked into the courtyard and spent the next hour enjoying every bit of attention from the students.  But Rootbeer also spent the whole time with his eye on Solo and he must have sensed his gentle nature because as soon as we were back out in the parking lot, Rootbeer walked toward Solo with curiosity. Both handlers agreed that they seemed to want to meet each other and cautiously let them go nose to nose. From that moment forward the friendship blossomed. Now, they always greet each other on visits like old friends and they are happy to show the world what kindness can accomplish!