News
Dozer the therapy dog will be remembered
April 2, 2020

Dozer the therapy dog died on Friday, Dec. 6. Dozer spent nine years of his life serving with his owner, Angie Nousiainen, as an Alliance of Therapy Dog team. “I’m devasted,” Nousiainen said in an emailed statement. “Dozer was so much more than just a dog. He was friend, a comforter, and a family […]
Therapy dog Mishka impacts Children’s Museum
April 2, 2020

Bushy tailed and flocculent, with an exuberant grin and ever-perky ears, Mishka the Siberian husky could top any stuffed animal in the cuteness and cuddliness department, and she boasts a comforting factor to boot. For the past five years, Mishka, 6, has been spreading smiles and boosting moods as a certified therapy dog, bringing her […]
Therapy dog wins UCLA’s award
April 2, 2020

Glittering gold confetti fell from the ceiling as Izzy the husky wobbled up to a red podium to claim the nationwide title of “Pet of the Year.” But Izzy seemed more excited to receive the prize: a wag-bag from BarkBox, which contained chew toys and treats. Izzy, a therapy dog at UCLA Health’s People-Animal Connection, […]
Therapy dog spreads love in church
April 2, 2020

In recent years, we have seen the trend of therapy dogs growing and growing. People around the country are getting their dogs trained to help others in ways that sometimes even humans can’t do. Lakewood Methodist Church of North Little Rock is forming a therapy dog team in hopes of impacting the community, but […]
Schools therapy dog program helps students
April 2, 2020

District continues to seek ways to provide resources to students Officials in the Hopkins School District have been working to create accessible mental health resources for students. One of those initiatives is partnering with North Star Therapy Animals. Through that collaboration, the district brings therapy dogs to schools for students to interact with. “Right now, […]
Children’s Hospital add fourth therapy dog
April 2, 2020

Norton Children’s Hospital is getting another therapy dog. Thanks to a $50,000 gift from PetSmart Charities, Norton Healthcare will add a fourth four-legged therapist to help young patients Norton said research has shown that full-time facility therapy dogs provide emotional comfort to patients and help their physical recovery by encouraging them to get out of […]
Therapy dog makes 100 visits
April 2, 2020

Dogs make everything better. Patients and staff at the Parkview Cancer Institute seem to agree. On Monday, Natalie Manges and her therapy dog Maggie made an extra special visit to the Parkview Cancer Institute. Manges and Maggie have been visiting patients and staff regularly and made their 100th visit on Monday. The duo, working with […]
New law for therapy dogs
April 2, 2020

The new law (S.4802/A.6601) will establish state guidance on best practices for therapy dogs, therapy dog handlers and facilities, training, risk management and animal welfare. The law requires the state Commissioner of Agriculture and Markets — collaborating with other relevant agencies and stakeholders — to develop guidance for therapy dogs, their handlers and the institutions […]
Working dog
April 2, 2020

He wasn’t hired only for his fabulous hair, or even for his ability to stay cool under pressure. Rocket was handpicked to be the first-ever facility dog at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Masonic Children’s Hospital because of his advanced, specialized training from Canine Assistants, a Georgia-based service dog organization. Since the two-year-old golden […]
If you cats get coronavirus, experts say it is nothing to worry about
April 2, 2020

A newly-hatched study out of China, so raw that it’s not yet been peer-reviewed, has some disturbing news for cat lovers. Our furry feline friends appear to be susceptible to catching Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus called SARS-CoV-2. Even worse, the cats in the study were able to infect each other, although they […]