Therapy dogs deliver gift of compassion
Youths enchanted as they learn about tasks dogs perform
BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer
Furry friends visited children at the Marlboro branch of the Monmouth County Library on Oct. 9.

ERIC SUCAR staff Andrew Ignarra, 7, of Marlboro, reacts to some affection being shown to him by border collie Belle during a program at the Marlboro library that introduced pet therapy dogs to children.

Ten dogs of the Furry Angels therapy dogs and their owners arrived at the library to introduce the children to the dogs and to teach the youngsters about the therapy dog program.

As the dogs gathered in a field next to the library, the children who were arriving for the special event with their parents quickly became excited and wanted to run over to the dogs.

"Oh, she's puffy!" one young girl exclaimed as she noticed Sasha, a black Newfoundland.

Once all of the dogs had gathered and become acquainted, the group made its way into the Marlboro library, attracting the attention of all of the library patrons.

As parents arranged chairs, the youngsters fell upon the dogs, marveling at the variety of sizes. Some children were shocked by Jay, a Chinese crested, a breed lacking fur.

"He's naked!" one boy yelled.

The Furry Angels are part of the Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs Inc. The therapy dogs visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools and libraries.

"Our therapy dogs give comfort and affection through petting and kisses (when invited). They ease loneliness and bolster selfesteem," according to Bright and Beautiful's Internet Web site.

As the program started, those present were introduced to the dogs and their owners.

"Jay is a 2-year-old male," owner Robin Carney explained, before asking Jay to do a little dance on his hind legs for the children.

Dogs do not have to be purebred to be a therapy dog. A potential therapy dog must be at least 1 year old and take a test. There are 10 steps in the test, which assess the dog's ability to obey commands, Carney said.

P.J, a mix between a husky and a border collie, loves having her belly rubbed. Her owner, Susan Jacobs, said that when P.J. meets children, she lies down to be more on their level. It does not take long for P.J. to roll over and invite some belly rubs.

When asked about the work the handlers complete with their dogs at the hospitals and other locations, Jacobs said, "We get a lot of smiles, which is what it's about. It's like magic."

Sue Feldman introduced Moses to the group. Moses is a golden doodle, which she explained as being a mix between a golden retriever and a black poodle. Feldman said Moses had been rescued from a breeding facility in Pennsylvania that lost its license.

Next up was Tori, a 5-year-old chocolate Labrador retriever. Owner Dawn Gaudenti said Tori loves to spend time at schools with children.

As the introductions continued, the dogs remained obediently at their owners' sides while the children kept creeping closer to sneak a pet from the pooches.

Jack Daniels, a 6-year-old giant schnauzer, came forward with owner Sheila Piskiel. Jack has been a therapy dog for eight months, according to Piskiel. She continued her explanation by informing the group that this breed is used as police dogs in Europe.

Nancy Cook came up with Belle, a border collie. Belle lives in Long Island, N.Y., but comes down to New Jersey once a week to work with people who need her care. She became a therapy dog in July. Cook said studies have shown that simply petting an animal can lower a person's blood pressure.

Cook said the group has been busy recently. She said the Furry Angels have at least 50 teams that go out and do visits.

Natasha, a black Labrador retriever, responded to hand signals given by owner Lynda Magnifico. Natasha's ability to follow these signals shows the obedience needed to be a therapy dog, Magnifico explained. Before returning to her spot, Natasha took a bow, much to the children's delight.

As Sasha came forward, there were exclamations of "It's a bear!" from the crowd of youngsters. The 2-year-old Newfoundland was taller than some of those present. Owner Cindy Adelung said Sasha is training to also become a rescue dog. She said Sasha is a big couch potato who enjoys swimming.

"Ew, I got slimmed!" a young man cried after feeding Sasha a treat.

Next to the largest dog was the smallest, Jeter. The 4-year-old toy poodle did a dance for the crowd. Owners Susan and Tony Tomasetti were present and explained how Jeter enjoys spending time in Tony's barbershop. Jeter is small enough that when he visits a hospital, he can sit right in the lap of a patient.

At the end of the line was Tank, a black Labrador retriever. Owner Ed Morgan said he knew Tank would be perfect as a therapy dog after watching his reactions at home. Morgan explained that one day as Tank was sleeping in the hall, his (Morgan's) granddaughter was toddling around. She ended up falling right on top of the sleeping Tank. The dog simply raised his head and looked at the baby, Morgan said. At the library, Tank got a laugh by doing a high-five for a treat.

The owners explained that the therapy dogs must have the right temperament and must not be frightened of objects like crutches and wheelchairs. A fee of $25 must be paid by the dog's owner for insurance purposes.

"Is it hard to train the dogs?" one young lady asked. The answer was no, it was not hard, it was just time consuming.

One parent asked how old a therapy dog's handler has to be. Some have been as young as 12, the owners explained. All of the therapy dogs are the handlers' personal pets. Some of the pet owners present have additional therapy dogs at home.

For more information on therapy dogs, visit the Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dog's Internet Web site at www.golden-dogs.org.