Who let the dogs in?

Pompano Times, Thursday, September 8, 2005

Visiting pooches give seniors a smile
By Lily Ladeira

It's another Tuesday afternoon at Seaview Nursing and Rehabilitation
Center in Pompano Beach, and Fred Whalen is waiting anxiously for his
visitors to arrive.
"I look forward to it every week," Whalen said. They are the only
visitors who come to see the 73-year-old resident, he said.
When his first guest, Tenzin arrives, Whalen's face lights up.
"Sometimes, if they don't make it, you miss them, you know," Whalen
said. "You get used to it."
Tenzin, a yellow Labrador, is the founding dog of Share-a-Pet, a
dog-assisted therapy volunteer organization that provides companionship
for residents of various facilities.
Tenzin's owner, Sachin Mayi, started Share-a-Pet two years ago.
'When I got Tenzin as a Christmas present, I started to take him to
Broward Childrens' Center, where I had done community service," Mayi
said. "I didn't even know it was pet therapy."
Soon the former aikido instructor found that the children responded to
the dogs.
"There's an instant connection," Mayi said.
Today Share-a-Pet's 48 volunteers visit 16 facilities from Aventura to
Delray.
Volunteer Michele Greene, a State Farm Insurance agent in Lighthouse
Point, began as a donor, then became a volunteer. Now she is on the
board of directors.
"A lot of people in here don't have family. They're sharing their life
and their memories. They're helping him," Greene said, pointing to her
son, Marlin, 15.
Marlin has brought Brandi, an 11-week-old shih tzu he's had for two
weeks, to the center.
"I love dogs, and it's a great thing to do. Some people here have had
dogs and so they like seeing them," Marlin said.
Marlin is happy he gets community service hours, too. As a Pompano
Beach High School freshman, he'll need 40 of them before he graduates.
Linda Black, another Seaview resident, feels the benefits of seeing
Brandi and Marlin's other dog, Basco.
"At first it was hard for me, because one of mine passed away," Black
said. "I had Jack Russells, Rose Bud, and another, Scooter. I just love
this."
Patricia Rice, director of activities at Seaview, has been trying to
get pet therapy in the facility for a while.
"They love the dogs ... and they can also give them something to do,"
Rice said.
While initially it might be about the dogs, soon a bond forms between
the volunteers and residents.
"After a while you establish a really nice relationship with people,"
Mayi said.
That's why it's important to make a firm commitment as a volunteer.
"We emphasize to the volunteers the importance to be regular in their
visits," Mayi said. When volunteers are absent, the residents miss them
and the dogs, he said. Volunteers are asked to commit to six months of
regular visits.
Besides regular visits, volunteers must complete a training course
provided by Therapy Dogs Inc., contribute $30 annually, participate two
to four hours monthly, and of course have a pet. Interested volunteers
can download an application on Mayi's Web site, www.shareapet.org.
Mayi said volunteers woh commit get satisfaction from sharing their
pets, and that those on the receiving end are starving for love and to
be loved.
"We're making an impact on people's lives. It's very fulfilling," Mayi
said.
Whalen still remembers Shivani, the Westie that visited the center a
few weeks ago.
"He brings these little dogs, they're cute and good therapy to have,"
Whalen said.