Cathy and Lurch visit with youngsters as part of the Paws Up comfort dog program in Corpus Christi.
Before she retired, Willow was a volunteer with Paws Up, visiting senior centers, hospitals and elementary schools. She comforted Alzheimer’s patients, cheered up the ill and infirm and listened to children read. Willow is an 11-year-old pit bull who belongs to Heidi Humrickhouse, a longtime Paws Up volunteer herself who is now on the lookout for just the right dog to take Willow’s place.
“We call them comfort dogs,” Humrickhouse said. “They love to provide comfort and happiness to everyone they meet.”
A national program, Paws Up has been providing comfort to the afflicted in Corpus Christi since 2000, when a group of people at the Gulf Coast Humane Society decided to form a therapy dog group. Now 25-30 active teams visit Holmgren Senior Center, Driscoll Children’s Hospital, Christus Sphon Hospital Shoreline and two different elementary schools each at least once a week.
Humrickhouse became involved in the program because of Willow. As a youngster, Willow was a high-energy dog who needed something to do.
“She needed a job, and her real love is visiting people,” said her loving owner. “She is a confident, happy, social dog with good obedience skills.”
Humrickhouse heard about the program through a friend and decided it was just the right thing for Willow.
“Now, I can’t imagine doing any other type of volunteer work,” she said. “This is the most rewarding work you can do with your dog.”
Willow’s experience, which is typical of every pet in the program, has at times brought her owner to tears and and left poignant memories. One example involves a woman in the later stages of Alzheimer’s. She was nonverbal and, according to her nurse, having a particularly bad day when Willow came to visit. The dog sat next to the woman’s wheelchair.
“I took her hand and started to pet Willow for her,” Humrickhouse said. “All of a sudden, her eyes snapped into focus and she took Willow’s head in her hands and looked her in the eyes and started to talk and talk to her. Those are the kind of things that make it worth the work and effort to become a team. Those kind of moments are priceless.”
The dogs also make regular visits to two elementary schools to visit with students having trouble with their reading skills. Attentive, nonjudgmental listeners such as Willow and her fellow comfort dogs have helped build confidence in kids who, in turn, improved their grades.
Humrickhouse said Paws Up would like to go into more elementary schools. The city library wants to incorporate the program into several of their branches. The only problem: not enough volunteer teams.
To become a volunteer team, your pet must be comfortable in new situations and meeting new people. The animals must also have solid obedience skills in public.
Training is once a week for six weeks, followed by an orientation session in week seven. Newbies work with mentors visiting facilities until both human and dog are comfortable on their own.
Trainings are held twice a year with the next one set for January 2017. The price is steep at $377.50, Humrickhouse said, but it can be paid out over the training period. Some scholarships are available as well.
An affiliate of Pet Partners Group, Paws Up Inc. is a nonprofit organization that operates solely on volunteer power. To become a Paws Up volunteer, call (361) 533-2323 or email pawsupinc@aol.com.
