Volunteer Spotlight
February 2012
Ray Greenwell has touched many lives as a math professor at Hofstra University and as a Bideawee Pet Therapy Volunteer. In the early 90's Ray began making monthly visits to nursing homes on Long Island as a member of the Bideawee Pet Therapy team, doing everything he could to make the residents smile and bring brightness to their day.
Ray began volunteering in pet therapy with his dog Musk, an American Staffordshire terrier—one of the breeds more popularly known as pit bulls. Despite the breed's fierce reputation, Musk loved people and nothing made her happier than giving them kisses. She also loved showing off obedience commands she had learned and the assortment of tricks she knew such as retrieving the newspaper. Musk even had a singing voice and would share it when Ray played the harmonica. He remembers her as a natural therapy dog, a kind and gentle disposition with a compassionate.
Ray and Musk loved their visits to various nursing homes, and the residents absolutely adored Musk. They spent most of their time visiting individual residents gathered in a large room, where Musk would interrupt to demonstrate her tricks. Ray believes that Musk served as an ambassador for her breed. She constantly demonstrated that pit bulls reputation as a vicious breed we're an unfortunate generalization. Musk's reputation as a good canine citizen helped when Ray's homeowners insurance was cancelled because he owned an American Staffordshire terrier. They testified together against laws that discriminate based on the breed of the dog.
When Musk grew older and retired from pet therapy, Ray's family adopted another American Staffordshire terrier that they named Django. The new puppy turned out to be like Musk in many ways, and within a couple of years she had taken over Musk's therapy responsibilities and was performing all of Musk's old tricks.
Musk passed away in 2006, and Django is now nine years old. Ray and Django continue to be active in the Bideawee Pet Therapy program and Django still has the enthusiasm of a puppy during their monthly visits to Rockville Skilled Nursing in Rockville Centre and Fulton Commons in East Meadow. Ray enjoys these visits as much as his dogs, not only because he appreciates having fun with them, but also because of the love and appreciation he receives from the residents and staff.
