A retired nurse partners with a therapy dog

A Unique Partnership

Retired nurse and pet therapy dog offer companionship to area patients

BY: » Jennifer Mitchell PHOTOS COURTESY OF : » Debbi Wilkes

Maggie and Debbi Wilkes completed training through Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Cornelius resident Debbi Wilkes worked for years as a primary care and home healthcare nurse before retiring last year, but her passion for caregiving was something she was not ready to give up. Wilkes noticed a special disposition in her best friend’s dog named Maggie, and that is when their unique partnership began—providing pet therapy to severely ill patients in the Lake Norman area.

A sweet disposition

“Maggie had the perfect disposition to be a therapy dog. She was well behaved, very loving and knew some simple commands,” explains Wilkes. “After completing obedience training

with Maggie, I applied to Alliance of Therapy Dogs where we both attended training sessions and worked with a member of the organization to receive our certification to be pet therapists.”

Maggie, a half labrador and half greyhound mix, is now 13 years old. Wilkes explains they started out visiting Levine Dickson Hospice in Huntersville, meeting with patients weekly before expanding their visits to other care centers and hospitals in the area. During a typical visit, patients can pet Maggie and sometimes she is allowed to put her front paws up on a patient’s bed or chair to get even closer.

“Patients respond to us in many ways. Sometimes they smile and sometimes they tear up when they pet Maggie,” says Wilkes. “We have been with patients who no longer speak or have communication difficulties. Some of those patients actually say a few words to Maggie or they tell me a bit about their own previous pets. It is amazing to see that happen!”

Important moments of comfort

Wilkes says she has been blessed with so many good things in her life but also has suffered great sorrow when losing her own daughter in 2010. Her daughter was an animal lover too and it was important for Wilkes to find a way to give back. “People and families deal with so much when they are ill or are in a nursing home. A few moments of comfort are so helpful.”

Maggie and Wilkes go room to room, visiting with patients and spreading joy as they go. They usually spend about 5 to 10 minutes with each patient and Maggie will sit by a patient’s chair or bedside and somehow just knows when people need a little tender care or love. Wilkes says some patients even take pictures with Maggie to remember her caring face even after the visit. “Making people smile and giving a little bit of comfort and happiness makes it all worthwhile.”

For more information about pet therapy and the certification process, visit Alliance of Therapy Dogs at therapydogs.com. ?

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