Aislinge Retrievers Therapy Dogs...
We will visit with folks that are in need of compassion as they go through difficult times, or just need a hug to make their day better. What better way to honor a saint who believed in visiting the sick and less fortunate only to have a dog save him.
In Honor of St. Roch, whose life was saved by the kind gestures of a canine friend.
About St. Roch
St. Roch was born at Montpellier France. His father was governor of that city.
At his birth St. Roch is said to have been found miraculously marked on the breast with a red cross. When he was twenty years old, his parents were killed. Although left with their fortune and the government of Montpellier, he renounced his riches giving all the money to the poor.
He handed over the governmental duties to an uncle.
He felt an inner calling to proceed toward Italy. Disguise as a mendicant pilgrim, he set out on foot. Along the way, he encountered village after village stricken by the plague. Knowing then what his inner calling was about he began travelling from village to village staying in each for weeks at a time devoting himself to the plague-stricken and curing them with the healing power in his hands.
He never feared for his own health or safety but lay his hands upon all he met and they were healed. He healed ailing cattle and other animals as well.
Saved by the Ministrations of a Dog
After a few years he himself was stricken with the plague. Not wanting to be a burden on society he withdrew to a wooded area outside of a village called Peacenza and waited for death to overtake him. As he lay at the brink of death a dog appeared and lay down beside him licking his wounds. The dog would periodically disappear and return with a morsel of food that he had collected from near by Peacenza. Although the dog was himself thin from starvation, he always lay the food gently on St. Rock's chest for him to eat. St. Rock soon recovered and was found by the dogs master who took him to a place of shelter. St. Roch then resumed healing the people in the plague stricken villages.
Returning to his home in Montpellier, St. Roch, still wearing his pilgrim clothing and physically changed because of his ordeal was thrown into jail by his own uncle where a few years later he died. After his death the cross on his chest that had been their since childhood and some documents found in his possession served to identify him. He was given a public funeral and the miracles continued long after his death.
Information regarding AAT & AAA Activities
What is animal-assisted therapy?
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal is an integral part of the treatment process. AAT is directed and/or delivered and documented by a health/human service professional with a specific clinical goal for a particular individual in mind.
According to Animal-Assisted Therapy--Therapeutic Interventions, AAT is not a style of therapy, like rational-emotive therapy, cognitive therapy, behavioral therapy, etc. Instead, a therapist who utilizes AAT operates from his/her professional foundation and facilitates change in a client through the client’s interactions with an animal.
Physical therapists, occupational therapists, certified therapeutic recreation specialists, recreational therapists, teachers, social workers, and others can incorporate AAT into their work and treatments in a multitude of ways.
Animal-assisted activities (AAA) also provide social, motivational, educational, and/or recreational benefits for people during interactions. These activities do not have to be overseen by healthcare professionals and do not work toward particular clinical goals. AAA often occurs in meet-and-greet sessions in a variety of settings and can be administered in groups or with individuals.
Who benefits from AAT?
Patients and clients in a limitless spectrum of institutional settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, hospice care, mental health facilities, and schools, enjoy the benefits of AAT. In addition to participating in AAT in institutional settings, people benefit from therapeutic sessions with horses, dolphins, and farm animals in sites designed for these interactions.
General observations of a variety of therapy sessions indicate the presence of an animal may make sessions more pleasurable and productive and improve therapeutic outcomes. Clients of all ages with all types of medical conditions experience calming effects, brightening of mood and increased motivation when an animal is present during treatment. Participants in studies involving companion animals (pets) show improvement in self-esteem, psychological well being, and community integration.
Evidence indicates that particular populations, such as children with autism and people with dementia-related diseases like Alzheimer’s, benefit tremendously from AAT. For example, a study on children with autism (Redefer & Goodman 1989) suggest that a dog when used as part of a child’s therapy can have a strong impact on behavior resulting in an increase in prosocial behavior and decrease in self-absorption.
Therapy animals can indirectly help the staff of healthcare facilities. While animal visits are usually intended to help patients and clients, these visits tend to lift the spirits of staff and at least temporarily take their focus off of the emotionally difficult parts of their work. The same positive physiological and psychological effects experienced by patients and clients can also impact staff and employees.
Animal-assisted therapy is also being incorporated into schools and libraries through reading programs for children who have had difficulty learning to read. According to the Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D®.) an Intermountain Therapy Animals program, as children read aloud to animals, they tend to be less intimidated than when reading to another person, display greater confidence, and forget about their limitations.
**Teachers notice improved reading scores, increased confidence, improved self-esteem, and decreased absenteeism from the children who participate in reading programs with therapy animals.
Another therapeutic application of animals occurs in prisons and correctional facilities through programs in which animals are taken from animal rescue organizations, receive training from inmates, and are placed into the community as service animals to help people with disabilities. Programs like these aid in the rehabilitation of inmates as they learn pet industry vocation skills, such as training, grooming, and boarding animals, which they can to apply in employment when they resume their lives outside of prison. Inmates also benefit from the important opportunity to give back to the community, and experience the acceptance and unconditional love of animals and the healing power of the human-animal bond.
Carol M. Ellia, M.H.R.
Master of Human Relations- The University of Oklahoma
Bachelor of Arts, Sociology, Wright State University, and
Associates of Science, Criminal Justice, Cape Cod Community College
K-9 Animal Activities - AAT / AAA Service Provider
Fully Insured for All AAT / AAA services.
Professional & Volunteer
Carol's Biography:
I have always had dogs in my home, from the time I was about two until today. I was given a handsome German Shepard, named Jocko, after the death of my dad, I was only 19 months old, and it was believed that he would be a help to me getting over grief at such a young age. I loved that dog, and he was my best friend as I got older.
After his passing, I had other special bonds with my other dogs, there was Sparky, a true All American black terrier mix who I trained to dribble street hockey balls with his paws, and Pumpkin, a three- legged girl who loved to run the beach, Brandy a German Shepard that went to serve as a companion to a police officer, Gretchen, another black & tan German Shepard that we found in North Dakota, who went to live with a wonderful family on a huge farm in North Dakota, and Terry, another black and tan German Shepard that was part of the Seeing Eye Program based out of New Jersey.
However, the biggest change in my personal life as well as in my professional career (working with youth considered at-risk and families in conflict) and my desire to utilize my gifts and talents in helping others as well as training dogs and their human family members occurred on January 19, 2004, the day our beloved 15 ½ year old Golden Retriever, Sunni crossed the Rainbow Bridge.
My life and my outlook on life has not been the same since that day.
Sunni was a gift of unconditional love; she accepted me and our family as we were, always to be there by our sides. I found it very difficult after her passing to not have a “golden spirit” in our home. Within a month of her passing, my husband and I were driving to pick up his vehicle from the garage, and we had passed by a particular open field, as we had many times before on our way there. However, this time was different for me, as we drove by it, and I started to cry like child who had lost a best friend. I was in deep grief. All I could think of was how much Sunni would have loved to run through it chasing the rabbits, ignoring my command to “come” all for the sake of having a great time! Upon arriving at the garage, I decided to sit in the car, I didn’t want anyone seeing my puffy red eyes. I had my head turned looking out my window when a knock came on the driver’s side window. There stood a friend of my friend to show me a picture of a golden litter born the day after Sunni passed away.
This woman gave me her number and told me that I was very welcome to come by to see the pups. At first I was torn, then by the time they were ten days old I couldn’t resist, and I called her. To my surprise she invited me over to the house to visit. Eight weeks later I had not one, but two beautiful Golden Retriever sister pups, Casey and Grace. I then was referred by the same woman to position that was available at a local small boarding kennel that was also the home of Champion Labrador and Golden Retrievers. I came to discover, my girls were the great- granddaughters of the gentle, handsome Champion named Rush, owned by this woman. Wow, how life can throw you a wonderful surprise!
Upon meeting the owner, I was hired to learn the business ways of kenneling and the dog show world, while also managing an Alternative to School Suspension program geared for youth in grades 6-9 in King George, until the end of the school year. This I came to learn was very, very hard work, and not to be taken lightly. There is a great amount of hard mental and physical work that goes into taking care of other peoples pets in a kennel environment in order to not only keep the environment sanitary, but to make sure the pet and owner’s stress is reduced during this time of separation. For most of the general public, I believe that many think that all you have to do is make sure the dog gets out to potty and is properly fed. NOT SO! In order to be great in pet care business an individual needs to be able to communicate with not only the owner, but the pet too. I loved this job, even though the pay was not what I was use to in my prior professional field, the learning experiences gave me more than any dollar amount. Thus,leading to the founding of my own pet care company, D’Ellia’s Canine Care & Gifts. I was considered an Independent Contractor in this new found position and I needed to learn how to set up my own business for many reasons.
I continued my training with Grace and Casey, to prepare them to become Certified Therapy dogs, as I continued in this new world I had found. Training was very important to me to achieve, as both my grandmothers had passed away to Alzheimer’s complications, a dear friend of ours, Ryan, an eleven-year-old boy passed away due to complications from leukemia, and my college mentor, passed away due to stroke complications.
I saw the differences that were made in lives of my special people when animals were allowed to visit them, so in finding a means to honor each of their lives and my memories, I chose to become involved in Animal Assisted Therapy as part of my professional development and career goals. (All of these deaths happened within 7 months of each other, my “rocks” in my grieving were my family and pets).
However, before I could have “the girls”, as I called them, tested for their Canine Good Citizen Test, I found out that I had severely herniated discs in my C-spine, and would need to have surgery.
It was at this time, a very special black puppy found his way into my heart and to our home, Patuxent’s Cut Above Ordinary, aka, Angus, which in Irish means; “Excellence, Strength and Vigor” .....but to me he is my Gus.
Sometimes folks hear me refer to him as my “Gussieman”. I met Gus with his mommy, Letty McNulty at the AKC Fredericksburg Kennel Club annual All-Breed Dog Show. I walked up to Letty, and asked who her puppies were sired by,
(Part of me already knew they had been sired by Custus, who in turn was owned
by the woman who owned the kennel I managed). I knew the “backend” build, and before she could answer me, I said, “They are Custus babies”. Letty was very surprised, well one thing led to another, and Gus would be home with me two weeks later. (This all happened in time before my surgery, and rehabilitation time).
After my surgery, I was not able to have my golden girls at my side, but Gus was
able to be there, and so he was, everyday & night. Once I was healed, we
continued our training with full force. Gus, Grace and Casey would all attend training classes with me. Gus and Casey did earn their AKC Canine Good Citizen certifications, as well as their Therapy Dog certifications through Therapy Dogs International. Both tests require the dogs to be able to have good manners, accept the owner’s commands, be of good temperament, and be able to accept other humans and animals.
I did not have Grace TDI tested, as I got a call from a friend in New England, regarding a couple on Cape Cod whose own Golden passed away, and she was inquiring if I was still considering placing Grace in a home where she could be a princess but to also be the “therapy” dog I had raised her to be.
It was in June 2006 that I made the trip back home to Cape Cod to place Grace with a wonderful couple that lived 100 yards from Nantucket sound, these folks owned a small bed and breakfast where Grace would not only be the princess, but the Ambassador of the inn, sharing her love with visitors who missed their own dogs.
I remember distinctly the day I let her go; I kissed her nose, looked deep into her eyes, and told her to do her job, and to do it well. Grace walked with Neil towards the beach, and never looked back. As much as I hurt, and cried as I drove away, I know that I had done my job in preparing her to be the girl they needed her to be. To date, she has brought them so much love & happiness, and I know that for her, I made the right decision.
Gus and Casey do the same when we visit Nursing homes such as Heartfields Assisted Living, in Fredericksburg. They both walk in, and know they are working, and are very calm when the folks there with their canes, wheelchairs, shuffled walks come up to them, just to get a little love and to give a little love. Both of them will be part of the Dogs on Call program at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Pediatric ward, a wonderful way to honor Ryan and his dear family.
I have added two more girls and a boy to our team. Caragh, my little black lab girl and her cousin Karma, now Champion pointed, a three-year- old Chocolate Lab. Both girls continue in training, as well as continue in competition events such as AKC Conformation and Rally Obedience events.
Brady, our new little boy, a yellow lab, is the nephew to Gus from his half- brother Otis, aka, CH BBF Hollands Rythym and Blues of Bay Breeze Farm Labradors. Brady has started training, and is proven himself to be a very quick learner.
Uncle Gus continues to compete in the above show venues too, we have worked hard as a team to earn his first title in Rally Obedience, under the training guidance of Terry Patton, and he is now Champion pointed as well, thanks to Darlene Bergan's wonderful handling of Gus and Karma.
As for my “training” I have earned my AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator certification and continually update my training skills by training and working with Mrs. Terry Patton.
I teach house manners and Canine Good Citizen classes to pet owners.
I continue my education in canine behavior and care through attending and completing courses
with Animal Behavior Associates as well as other well recognized canine behavior and training programs.
I love taking my dogs out in the community to show just how good they are, but more importantly to allow them to do the job we love to do, together, to give unconditional love to those in need of a non-judgmental ear, To be a soul just able to be there helping a child or an adult in time of need, whatever it may be.
