About our new AMBASSADOR THERAPY DOG: HUNTER WORKS HARD By Sandi Costick Therapy Dog Handler Hunter is my eleven year old Labrador Retriever. Like his great granduncle Zac, he began as a Search and Rescue Dog. A career change has him now working as a Therapy Dog. He loves his job meeting the various needs of many different people in a variety of settings. In Santa Fe he visits patients, staff and visitors at Christus St. Vincent’s Regional Health Center in medical, surgical, rehabilitative and behavioral health areas. He provides a welcome distraction for patients receiving chemotherapy at the Cancer Center. Hunter is also a Reading Education Assistance Dog (READ) at two local schools. Second grade children who have difficulty reading will select and read a story to Hunter. Because it is fun to read to a dog (who is not correcting or laughing at them), stress is lessened and over the semester the children improve in their reading skills advancing to a third grade reading level! In Albuquerque he visits in-patients at the University of New Mexico Hospital’s Psychiatric Unit Center. But his very favorite place to work his magic is at Ward 7 when he visits with the in-patient veterans at the Veterans Administration Regional Medical Center. The vets look forward to seeing Hunter in his patriotic vest and though their needs are varied, he knows just what needs to be done.
Posted on: Sat, 12 Apr 2014 13:05:56 +0000
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