Former patient treating elders
(Kansas City, Mo.) A TEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT KNOWS ALL TOO WELL ABOUT THE POWER OF PET THERAPY.
KENT FADDIS WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI HAS MORE ON THE STORY.
13 YEAR OLD HANNAH FREW AND HER DOG MADDY WANT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY.
THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI EXTENSION 4-H'ER IS PART OF A PROGRAM CALLED PLATTE PET POWER LOCATED IN KANSAS CITY.
THESE DOGS AND THEIR OWNERS VISIT NURSING HOMES, FAMILY SHELTERS AND HOSPITALS TO PROVIDE WHAT'S KNOWN AS PET THERAPY.
"This program is important because of the human-animal bond, the unconditional acceptance," said MU Extension 4-H Youth Specialist Sharen hunt. "If you've never seen it, it's pretty amazing. The faces light up, the hands reach out, there's smiles."
ON THIS NIGHT VETERINARIAN BILLIE DEAM DETERMINES IF THE DOGS ARE UP TO THE CHALLENGE.
THE DOGS GO THROUGH DIFFERENT SCENARIOS THAT MIGHT BE SCARY FOR THEM.
"We are just basically doing a temperament testing to ensure that the animals are going to be able to adapt to a group situation that's at the nursing home or one of the shelters," said Deam.
HANNAH'S DOG MADDY PASSED THE TEST WITH FLYING COLORS.
BUT THAT'S REALLY NO SURPRISE TO HANNAH AND HER MOM.
SEE MORE THAN A YEAR AGO HANNAH WAS INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT.
SINCE THAT TIME HANNAH HAS BEEN IN REHAB RECOVERING FROM A BRAIN INJURY.
DOCTORS SUGGESTED SHE GET A DOG TO COMFORT HER.
"When she first started rehab," said Hannah's mom Dana, "she was just really scared, and then there was pain involved. And the dog just, I don't know, when the dog was there it just seemed to make things better for her."
NOW HANNAH AND MADDY WANT TO HELP OTHERS.
"I like visiting old people and people like that," said Hannah
"There are no words to describe it," said Dana. "It's just utter joy to see her come back and to be happy again and smile, and this is something she wants to do and that's why we're doing it."
THE MU EXTENSION PROGRAM IN PLATTE COUNTY HAS 30 VOLUNTEERS.
LAST YEAR, THE VOLUNTEERS VISITED MORE THAN 10 FACILITIES IN THE KANSAS CITY AREA.
TO FIND OUT MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE PET POWER PROJECT JUST GO ONLINE TO THE MU EXTENSION WEBSITE. EXTENSION.MISSOURI.EDU
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