Celebrating Therapy Animal Day on WGN Radio
Share
Pet Partners National Therapy Animal Day is Sunday April 30 and you can Listen HERE to this edition of Steve Dale’s Pet World from WGN Radio celebrate therapy dogs.
Commissioner Donna Miller
Cook County Commissioner Donna Miller (6th district) with Cook County Commissioner Scott Britton (14th District) announces that April 30 is Pet Partners National Therapy Animal Day in Cook County. Steve talks about his experiences with therapy dogs with Rainbow Animal Assisted Therapy. Commissioner Miller dogs pet therapy can actually lower healthcare costs.
There’s also a difference between so-called comfort dogs and certified therapy dogs and certified service or guide dogs as discussed.
Annie Peters, president/CEO of Pet Partners discusses National Therapy Animal Day and who what the non-profit Pet Partners does to change and even saves lives. Pet Partners has mostly registered therapy dogs, but other species as well, including cats, rabbits and miniature horses. Therapy animal visits not only support the individual who benefits but also entire families, as Peters explains. At this point, there are more facilities wanting therapy animals than there are available animals, whether it’s dogs who sit and listen patiently to children who have trouble reading to animals which go into assisted living centers. Peters explains what makes a good therapy animal.
Steve Dale’s Pet World honored to make the announcement, the winner of the Pet of the Year, named Rye Guy. LIndsey Wallace explains what her special dog does.
Rye Guy, who is a very talented dog, who loves performing tricks, raised more than $14,000 in support of Pet Partners during the competition. Rye and his human Lindsey are a registered Pet Partners therapy animal team who love visiting children between the ages of seven and 17 at Mayo Clinic, including the patients and their families flying into Rochester, MN International Airport and at an inpatient psychiatry unit at Mayo.
People and their Pets
Johanna Siegmann, author of In Good Company (Notable People and their Pets). She notes these are not your typical pet portraits, they are relationship portraits of love. Proceeds benefit the APEX Protection Project. Celebrities featured in the book with eight various pet species. She says, ‘When people are with their pets, they are their best selves.”
Rabbit joins the police force, a bunny with a badge.