Stories

Thought you would like to see Miss Jessie, She has made it safely into her new quardians care. Her guardian recently lost her wheelchair dog and really felt the need to help another. She is an extraordinary person!

I think Jessie will be spending some time in Yellowstone, before she gets back to LA. There were tears in this womens face when she met Jessie, great story and wonderful ending for Jessie! Thanks to all that helped get Jessie to us and helped with transport donations. Jessie is an awesome dog!

Joyce

Pets with Disabilities

Please save this for the next time you hear someone say: They have to get rid of their pet when they have a baby.

Have A Great Day

Within the heart of every stray

Lies the singular desire to be loved.

A BIG DOG HELPS A LITTLE GIRL

Just 10 years old, Laura* had been the victim of sexual and emotional abuse. Her difficult road to healing would take time and support, as well as the help of another specialist trained in such matters -- a dog!

After being removed from her unsafe home, Laura was placed in foster care, but the emotional scars from her ordeal were taking a toll. Her behavior suffered, and she was unable to function in a regular school, so she wound up in a mental health program. It was there that she met a therapy dog named Rigo and his handler, Diana -- a trained Pet Partners® team that would help Laura take her first step toward healing.

Animal-assisted therapy can provide the spark that helps children and adults recover from physical and emotional injury.

When Laura first saw the big, black dog, her eyes lit up. She was thrilled to make a new, furry friend. Over the weeks and months of Laura’s counseling, her trust in Rigo and Diana grew steadily. And one day, a breakthrough occurred. With her arms wrapped around Rigo for comfort and security, Laura whispered in his ear, describing in graphic detail her horror of abuse.

Opening up about her experience opened the door to Laura’s healing. During her year of working with her therapist and Pet Partners team, she learned how to build a healthy relationship with another being, how to feel safe and how to stay safe. Laura was able to re-enter public school and lead the type of life every child deserves. Soon after, she began preparing for adoption into a loving family.

The value of the human-animal bond is perhaps no more evident than in situations like Laura’s. That’s why American Humane has joined forces with Denver Pet Partners to provide direct services in animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activities.

Since 2001, Denver Pet Partners has been enhancing the life of people and promoting the human-animal bond through animal-assisted activities and therapy. The program currently consists of 140 trained and registered handler/animal teams serving 35 facilities.

Please help us build on this well-established program’s success and get it off to a strong start as a new program of American Humane!

Your gift will help many more children and adults -- in hospitals, schools, hospices and mental health centers -- benefit like Laura did, from the comfort and healing that only animals can provide.

(*This is a true story. The child’s name was changed to protect her privacy.)