“My little dog – a heartbeat at my feet.” – Edith Wharton
There is a lovely Aboriginal legend that explains how the dog became man’s BFF. As the story goes, after the world was created a violent earthquake split the earth in two. Man was on one side of the rift and animals were on the other. At the last moment, dog jumped over the abyss and stood at man’s side and from that time on dog became our constant companion.
This past weekend I was introduced to two fabulous pooches, Brodie and Diesel, who are the embodiment of the same unconditional puppy love. These cooperative canines are members of the St. John Ambulance Dog Therapy Program and they help people who are ailing, anxious or lonely. It’s been proven that therapy dogs help to shorten recovery time, lower blood pressure and diminish anxiety and depression when battling illness. They also encourage literacy in children by providing comfort to a child who is hesitant to read out loud.
Brodie
Diesel
All manner of dogs are invited to toss their leash into the ring for consideration. Pedigree doesn’t matter (with the exception of Pit bulls in Ontario.) It’s all about temperament, and nice dogs finish first!
Dig deep into your animal-loving hearts and check out their website to learn more about therapy dogs and how you can donate and support this fantastic volunteer program.
The link to St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program Site: http://www.sja.ca/Ontario/CommunityServices/Programs/Pages/TherapyDogServices.aspx
Donation Link:
