Rolling Hills Elementary kindergartner Dominick Messer, 5, walks with Micah, a miniature horse from DOGTORS & Associates in Springfield on Nov. 20
This is the DOGTORS Animal-assisted Therapy Fall graduating class from Trinity Retirement Community.Standing (from left) are Clarinda and Smokey, Ron and Prince Caspian, Marlene & Ken with Corky, Cindy with Nadia and Diana with Bear.Kneeling from left are Judith with Robbie, Randy & Lindsay with Snickers and Robert with Simba.
This is the Fall class of DOGTORS graduating teams from the Springfield Masonic Community.Standing (from left) are Becky with Abby, Beth Ann with Pepper and Edith with Brutus.Kneeling (from left) are Natalie with Fritz and Katelynn with Maggie. Also graduating was Marcia with Lucy.
This is the Fall 2009 class at Ginghamsburg!
(Standing, from left) Nance with Gypsy, Rosie with Buddy, Pat with Sophie, Marcy with Chucky, Mary with Pluto, Kelley with Perre, Jaclynn with Penne and Tom with Daisy.
(In front, from left) Missy with Charlie, Luis & Analisa with Boo, Tara with Rosco, Amber with Bo, Mandie with Onyx, Rick with Mia, Field with Mighty and John with Keira
Good news from England - Bronwen Pendray, our very own AAT Specialist from 'across the pond', won an award for her work with dog phobic children and her presesentations to schools on dog safety. The finalists were invited to a Gala Dinner and were presented with a plaque. "Over 2000 charities entered, so I am very honoured." she noted . She attached a photo; Bronwen here in the middle, the gentleman to her left is The Mayor of Bournemouth , and the lady to her right is Dr.Alison Cronin. Her husband, Jim Cronin from the USA, died last year. Monkey World is famous in England, they rescue Primates from all over the world. Alison and Jim worked so hard, due to their Steadfastness, there are no Chimps in Spain working on the streets or in the circus anymore.
Presenting the first graduating class of Ginghamsburg's Animal-assisted therapy program!
When you are used to a class size of 8 to 10 teams, 36 is a bit huge! This group posed new challenges for DOGTORS, but it was still done successfully. The first thing we had to do is to split the class in two and do back-to-back sessions. Our second problem would be the first visit session; hauling a herd of teams into a nursing facility would not work, so we built the Ginghamsburg Medical Center just for this purpose! With plenty of volunteers to help, we had every type of client imaginable, plus a nurse and visitors in the lobby.
Cinnamon, the miniature horse, was not available during the photo session, but is now the DOGTORS Poster Pony courtesy of Emily's Photography.
Billboard number 2 for a DOGTORS Team!
A recent discovery was our own Dogtor Cookie and her family (both of whom are also her AAT teamates) on an outdoor advertisement for our Springfield Masonic Community! The trio were not aware of the display, so we made a phone call to make sure Cookie went for a ride to see it 'in person' (or should it be called 'in dog'?).
Dogtors mourns the loss of our own sweet, little lady "Angie". Amy and Angie have been a Team with Dogtors since the summer of 2005, and Amy's loss is enormous. Her bond with Angie was a blessing to her, Angie's clients and to Dogtors.
We are still here to support Amy in any way we can.
