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s t e PHELPING PEOPLE
huntsville group connects therapy dogs with those in need
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dog passes by and suddenly the whole world shrinks away, a smile spreads across your face and your hand reaches out for a quick pet. It’s literally impossible to not break a smile when in the company of a good boy, it’s the rainbow at the end of a bad day and the warm feeling that will keep you floating on cloud nine. It also has the power to heal and a group of Huntsville volunteers
Photos and story by Michelle Wulfson are helping bring that cheer to those in need. In 2003, Huntsville Pets Helping People president Diane Carpenter was at a dog show with her AKC Champion border terrier, Willow, and volunteered to help with Pet Partners testing, which primarily focused on obedience and their comfort with people. Pet Partners is a national organization registering handlers of multiple species as volunteer teams for animal-assisted therapy. She enjoyed the experience and thought it was an honorable cause, inspiring her to chase a new adventure for her and Willow, bringing joy to those in need. Carpenter and Willow first joined Delta Society in College Station with Aggieland Pets with a Purpose, however the drive was a bit too much for her and she wasn’t a fan of visiting facilities as a group, noting that she prefers individual visits.
“I like the individual visits because then your dog gets to know these people,” Carpenter said, adding her canine partner, Jake, has become a hit with the local nursing homes. “Your dog gets to know these people, they get to know the dog, it provides all kinds of stimulation for them,” she added. Carpenter tested with Pet Partners in 2004 and began Huntsville Pets Helping People with a small team of six volunteers that has grown significantly with time. They have been affiliated with Intermountain Therapy Animals in Utah since 2009. Therapy dogs differ from service dogs in that they are there to be petted and loved on, bringing emotional comfort to someone in need, though Carpenter says that nearly any pet can be a therapy partner. HPHP can work with rabbits, cats, guinea pigs, potbelly pigs and even chickens, though for obvious reasons, dogs are the most popular choice of partner. INSPIRE HEALTH
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