A local nonprofit that helps pet owners train their dogs to visit the young, the old and the sick had the biggest turnout ever last week for an informational session about the program.
About 70 people attended the meeting Sept. 13 at Handi-Dogs Inc.'s headquarters, 75 S. Montego Drive.
Handi-Dogs' training program helps dog owners become certified by Pet Partners, a national therapy-animal program. Once they're trained and certified, dog-owner teams can join volunteer programs at places such as schools, hospitals and nursing homes.
"Taking care of your dog and making sure it's OK out in the community is the owner's main job," Pet Partners volunteer Jan Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson participates in the Read to a Dog program with her canine, as well as with kindergartners. Dog-therapy teams are used to teach children things such as self-control and responsibility.
People are also reading…
Dogs that make good therapy animals share one characteristic: They're sociable. And being a Pet Partner benefits dog owners because they get to strengthen their bond with their pet while contributing to the community.
Handi-Dogs President and CEO JoAnn Turnbull said she has seen the process work over and over again. Therapy dogs often can sense certain patients' needs better than any human can, she said.
Although there are 180 Pet Partners teams in Tucson, it's not enough to fulfill the needs of all the participating institutions here.
"It just warms my heart to have such a big turnout this year," Turnbull said of last week's meeting. "I've seen how dogs can make a difference and how much this really means - being able to help others during difficult times."
Dogs and their owners often encounter tough situations, including visiting people who are grieving or in hospice. Turnbull said volunteers often tell her a dog will repeatedly tend to a specific patient of its choosing. Dog owners eventually trust their pet to select a patient it senses needs the dog most.
"Volunteering is such a fulfilling experience," Hutchinson said. "These are our own pets, they're not service dogs."
Dogs offer a distraction for patients and a kind of comfort people can't provide. And their human handlers find it easier to meet with people with their dog present.
"When the owner interacts with a stranger, all the focus is on the dog, so that relationship gets stronger as the owner begins to understand their dog better," Turnbull said.
During the Read to a Dog program for kids, reading can come easier when students recite and sound out words to a dog that, unlike a person, is patient and nonjudgmental.
"There are real tangible physical and mental results that come out of volunteering with your pet," Turnbull said.
If you go
• What: Dogtoberfest to benefit Handi-Dogs Inc.
• When: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Oct. 28.
• Where: St. Gregory College Preparatory School, 3231 N. Craycroft Road.
• The event: Games, contests, raffles, vendors, live music, food and a beer garden. Dogs are welcome, and all proceeds will go to Handi-Dogs.
• Admission: $5 for adults; free for children 12 and younger accompanied by an adult. Buy tickets in advance online at www.handi-dogs.org/shop/26023 or at the event.
Find out more
For more information about Handi-Dogs Inc. go to www.handi-dogs.org or call 326-3412.
Emi Komiya is a University of Arizona student who is an apprentice at the Star. Contact her at 573-4117 or at starapprentice@azstarnet.com
Faculty concerned about changes to U of A admissions policy
