Dogs lend their paws
to help comfort others
BY JANE MEGGITT
Staff Writer
MILLSTONE — Man’s best friend. Dogs acquired this nickname because of their unconditional love and acceptance of human failings.
A unique group of local dog owners are bringing this special kind of affection to hospitals, nursing homes, schools and other facilities in order to give comfort to others. They call themselves the Furry Angels.
The Furry Angels are a local chapter of the national, nonprofit organization, Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs. All of the volunteers, and their dogs, have attended training sessions "to prepare our dogs to provide loving and empathetic support where emotional service dogs are indispensable," according to the local chapter’s secretary, Monica LaRue, of Millstone Township.
Most of the 14 Monmouth County chapter members are from Millstone Township, Freehold and Manalapan — but the chapter also has one devoted team member from West Hempstead, Long Island, N.Y.
Manalapan native Sharon Gaboff, a resident of Millstone Township, is a longtime animal advocate and president of Furry Angels. She started the group with fellow certified therapy dog handlers in June.
Dogs and handlers must attend six weeks of training so the animal can become de-sensitized around medical equipment, such as wheelchairs, walkers and crutches. They must also learn to ignore the noise of bedpans and other general distractions found in a hospital or nursing home.
While dogs must be obedient, the most important qualities are a good temperament, and a willingness to meet people and be petted. A test is given after the six weeks of classes, and if the dog and handler pass, Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs will issue identification membership badges. The national organization will also cover the handlers and dogs for accident and liability insurance.
There is a great variety of dogs in the Furry Angels, including breeds such as Great Dane, St. Bernard, golden retriever, Australian cattle dog and a Dalmatian mix.
The Furry Angels have, so far, held room-to-room visits at local nursing homes to let residents pet the dogs; had children with reading disabilities read one-on-one to a dog at the library; visited schools for education on dog safety; and taught Scouts about the proper way to approach dogs.
"A typical visit might be 15 minutes, or as long as an hour. It all depends," LaRue said. "The purpose of each visit is for the dog to provide a little joy and comfort to whomever we visit. We are emotional service dogs providing comfort — this is different from service or Seeing Eye dogs. We also have one special team that provides entertainment in the form of various dog tricks.
"We have found that, after a few visits to a facility, we will establish with the Furry Angels coordinator a set time that works best for the residents. Our Furry Angels therapy dog visit becomes part of the official activity calendar, and residents look forward to the visits," LaRue said.
Furry Angels continues to seek facilities to visit, and corporate or private donations to provide small gifts during upcoming holiday visits. They would also like to encourage those whose dogs have basic obedience training and think they may be suitable for emotional therapy work to contact them.
For further information, call (732) 462-5184, ext. 7, or write to Furry Angels at P.O. Box 6384, Freehold 07728.