Miss Marley the Therapy Dog

Marley is a wonderful Therapy dog. I realized today that I haven't written much on this blog about that. I think it may be due to the fact that she's been on a break due to her recent injuries. I think it will be soon time for her to get back out there though. I tried to call our facility this week to make some plans but wasn't able to reach them. Hopefully we will be going back within the next few weeks.

We visit at an Alzheimer's center regularly. Last summer we had the privilege to visit a few friends in the hospital. The first visit Marley went on after we passed our certification was to a friend who was dying of Liver Cancer and complications related to Lupus. It was such an amazing visit with my co-worker and his wife. Unfortunately, my friend passed away before I was able to arrange another visit. We needed to be supervised at the hospital and because we were inexperienced. A wonderful woman from Utah Animal Assisted Therapy Association (www.uuata.org) took time out of her day so that Marley and I could bring some joy to a friend. He was a dog lover and used to regularly stop by my desk and update me on the latest funny thing that his dog did. He especially loved his little shih tzu and his border collie who he has now joined in death. It was an incredibly moving experience and one that I will hold close to my heart for many years to come. It's amazing how much impact an animal visit can have on someone. His eyes lit up when we arrived and I think he never stopped smiling the whole time that Marley lay in his bed with him. Marley was a wonderful girl and seemed to enjoy herself for quite a while. This was so impressive with a green therapy dog. Marley was a natural.

A few weeks later, the founder of my rescue group had a very severe stroke. She was hospitalized and in ICU for several days. I was able to arrange another supervised visit to a completely different hospital within just a few hours. The other volunteers with this organization are all so wonderful and giving. They understand how valuable animals are in so many people's lives and only want to do what they can to help people in need. The above picture was taken on the visit where my very green dog did another excellent job as a working therapy dog. Emily had hardly moved in the two or three days since the stoke. But she did a good job of petting Miss Marley.

To be able to provide this service for a woman who is responsible for saving the lives of literally thousands of animals over the past 20 years is an incredible privilege. I feel so lucky to have had this opportunity. Since she was obviously an animal lover, having a dog visit at the hospital was the ultimate experience. She is a big cat person in her later years of life. We were lucky that another woman in our organization has a blind (and also rescued) cat that is a therapy animal too. So over the days that she was in the hospital, "Dare Devil" and his handler/owner were able to visit several times as well.

Marley seems to understand the needs of the people she visits. She snuggles closer to the ones that need it most and backs of the ones who enjoy seeing her at a distance. She performs tricks like a circus performer and does so with extreme joy. She is ecstatic when I get out the backpack and put on her therapy garb. She's not super stoked about the grooming but she tolerates it well with a few rewards for good behavior. She walks into our regular facility now with excitement. This is her time to shine and she knows it. There's no big brother Dylan to overshadow her and take the limelite. She is the center of attention from the time we walk in the door til the time we leave. She gets all the love and attention and brings joy to other's in the process. No wonders she seems to enjoy her job as a Therapy Dog. She's found her niche in life.

I can't wait to get her back out there and working. I know she's probably wondering why we haven't been to this special place where she gets lots of treats and lots of people love her. The place where some of the people seem different but Marley knows better than to judge them on their appearance. Because all in all, they are people and they deserve to have dogs love them too.