Bideawee Tails from a Volunteer
ON THE ROAD AGAIN WITH PET THERAPY by Florence Scarinci
In 1960 author John Steinbeck began a cross-country trek from Long Island in a custom designed recreational vehicle. Wanting to experience the beauty of the country and to understand the American character, he traveled from the East Coast to the West Coast, proceeded down the coast of California and then traveled through the South before returning to New York. His only companion on the 10,000 mile, 34 state jaunt was his standard poodle, Charley. In 1962, the same year he received the Nobel Prize for Literature, he recounted his adventures in Travels with Charley.
Like twenty-first century Steinbecks, the Melnicks, Miriam and John, sold their house on Long Island when John retired, packed up their belongings and their two Maltese, Sheyne, a male, and Shayla, female, and began a similar journey. They now live in a 40 foot recreational vehicle on the road, and home is, in Miriam's words "Where we park." For years the Melnicks had been dedicated Bideawee pet therapy volunteers. Both John and Miriam regularly visited an assisted living residence Westbury and Miriam was a weekly participant in a Reading to Dogs program in an elementary school and in local libraries. But besides being enthusiastic pet therapy volunteers, they were also effective fundraisers, representing Bideawee with Sheyne and Shayla at street fairs and pet expos. The Melnicks derived great satisfaction from participating in pet therapy and their dogs also loved it. So when the Melnicks were bitten by the wanderlust, they saw no reason not to continue doing pet therapy and found a way to incorporate it into their travels.
Sheyne and Shayla, whose registered names include the concept of beauty which they epitomize, had two years of obedience school and had already earned their AKC Canine Good Citizen awards when they aced the Delta Society therapy animal certification test. Being card-carrying members of the Delta Society gave them entrance into nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the country. Now they spread Bideawee's message and mission further than the New York City five boroughs and Long Island. Whenever Miriam and John know that they will be staying in an area for any length of time, they go online and search for a licensed assisted living facility. Miriam will call and ask to speak to the Recreation Director. She explains that she has two small registered therapy dogs (she feels that small dogs will be welcomed, even though they are unknown) and adds "they would like to visit and make the residents happy." She also mentions that she has veterinary records showing that her dogs are up-to-date with their vaccinations and free of parasites. Using this approach, in 2009 they clocked 44 hours of service. To date they have visited 18 states: Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Vermont, Wisconsin and logged over 800 miles doing pet therapy.
Wherever they go, when either John or Miriam takes out the dogs' Bideawee vests, Shayne and Shayla get very excited. They seem to know they are about to "go to work." When they arrive at the facility, which they have never visited before, the dogs start barking, as if they are saying, "Let's go. Let's make people smile. We're ready." And make people smile they do. Miriam shares these two heartwarming stories:
"When I first started taking Sheyne to Assisted Living residence on Long Island, I would visit the Alzheimer's unit, 'Reflections'. Something wonderful happened there that I will never forget. Even though it has been almost seven years, I can still remember the faces. I was kneeling next to an elderly man and woman. I placed Sheyne on the woman's lap. I helped her pet him. I told her some things about him. She said, 'Nice dog.' I agreed with her. I then noticed that the man sitting next to her had started to weep. I asked him what was wrong. He told me that the woman had not spoken in six months. I thought this man was a resident himself. He was not; he was her husband."
"A similar thing happened in one of the places we visited on the road. There was a very old, frail woman sitting in a wheelchair, looking down and sullen. I placed Shayla on her lap and the woman looked up and smiled at me. The Recreation Director was in tears. He told us that this old woman had been unresponsive for a long time."
Sheyne, now12 years old, born in a "puppy mill" and Shayla, who is 11, adopted from a breeder, are no couch potato fluff balls as their breed would lead a person to think. While Shayla, always immaculately groomed, appears to be a diva with a fondness for Swarovski crystal barrettes and collars, she is also athletic. Both she and Shayne enjoy two to three mile walks a day and are naturals at agility, easily jumping hurdles and scaling the A-frame. No doubt these activities help keep them healthy so that they can continue being effective therapy dogs. Not being able to participate in "pet therapy" would be a great loss for Miriam and John Melnick. They love having their dogs make a difference in this world. As Miriam says, "It is truly incredible how two very little beings can touch people's souls."
And so we wish the Melnicks and Sheyne and Shayla, "Happy trails!" Keep those tails wagging and keep making people smile.
READING TO DOGS - IT WORKS!!!
BAW SENIOR DOG FOR A SENIOR
PET THERAPY - NOT JUST FOR GOLDEN RETRIEVERS ANYMORE
BIDEAWEE: A NEW VERSION OF READING TO DOGS
AN UNSCHEDULED THERAPY DOG VISIT
BIDEAWEE DOGS and CATS GO GREEN
BAD ECONOMY BAD FOR DOGS AND CATS
LIFE GOES ON: Bideawee's Pet Loss Support Group
A Therapy Dog at College Teaches Important Lessons
Part 2: ADOPTING AN OLDER DOG: Joys and Challenges
ADOPTING AN OLDER DOG: Joys and Challenges
The Cat Who Changed My Life
The Lonely Cat's Best Friends
Therapy Benefits: What's In It for Me?
