TRINITYWOMEN on A MISSION - Penny: The Life of a Therapy Dog
The first time I saw Penny it was love at first sight! Penny is my Apricot miniature poodle given to me by my animal-loving daughter, Lisa. It was October 2009 and I was about to retire from my job as receptionist at TrinityLife after 17 years and needed something to keep me busy. Penny was just 11 weeks old, a darling ball of fur, and we bonded immediately.
When Penny was about one-year-old, I heard about Pets on Wheels, which is a wonderful non-profit organization that brings therapy animals to facilities across Maryland for friendly visits from volunteers and their pets. I knew that Penny would be perfect as a therapy dog. She is very friendly and loves attention. I contacted Pets on Wheels and made an appointment for Penny to be screened. Due to her friendly disposition and love of people, she passed with flying colors! And so began our ministry with Pets on Wheels.
A therapy dog’s primary job is to allow unfamiliar people to make physical contact with him/her and to enjoy that contact. Therapy dogs come in all sizes and breeds. The most important characteristic of a therapy dog is its temperament. A good therapy dog must be friendly, patient, confident, gentle, and at ease in all situations.
Our first visit was to the Catonsville Senior Center on January 20, 2011. Since then, we have visited nursing homes, adult day care services, elementary schools, universities and have participated in special events. Penny loves to visit and she always brings smiles and joy to people who, many times, are very lonely and feel forgotten. She gives unconditional love to everyone, as she sees beyond the outward appearance to the heart of the person. She truly is a therapy dog.
During these visits, I often have the opportunity to share the love of Jesus with people and pray with them. On a recent visit to Manor Care on Rolling Road, I was touched by the reaction of an elderly woman, as we were ready to leave her room. She said, “Please don’t leave; I am so lonely. Will you pray with me?” Of course, I was more than happy to pray with her. I took her hand and she began to recite the Our Father and the 23rd Psalm as I prayed along with her and Penny lay beside her. What a blessing!
Another time of ministry was with a precious Downs syndrome young man that we visited regularly. His elderly mother was always there whenever we visited. Penny would always jump up on Alan’s bed and just lay beside him. His mom couldn’t believe his reaction to Penny’s attention. She took many pictures of Penny and Alan. Through our many conversations, we learned that we were both born-again Christians who loved Jesus with all of our hearts. We began to pray together during our visits. Sadly, one day when Penny and I arrived to Alan’s room, his bed was empty. I found out that Alan had had a setback and went to be with the Lord. Fortunately, his mom had given me her phone number during one of our visits. I called her and offered my sincere condolences. Because of her strong faith, she was at peace and thankful that she didn’t have to worry about who would take care of Allen if she died before him. I have kept in touch with her and we talk occasionally.
This past February, we visited a middle school in Carroll County along with five other Pets on Wheels dogs. The children read to our dogs and Penny was very attentive as a story was read to her. A reporter from the Carroll County Times was there taking pictures. The next day, Penny and I were on the front page of that local newspaper.
When I joined Pets on Wheels, I thought that I would be ministering to the people Penny and I visited; however, if Penny could talk, I’m sure that she would agree that we are the ones who truly benefit from our visits.
If anyone is interested in becoming a Pets on Wheels volunteer, you can contact them at www.PetsOnWheels.org.
