The PAWSitive Therapy Troupe is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) public charity dedicated to sharing registered therapy dogs with individuals in a wide variety of health care and educational settings--bringing comfort, support and encouragement through the unique healing power of the human-animal bond.
A Community Partner of Pet Partners
Our Troupe therapy dogs and their owners are following federal and state guidelines and STAYING HOME during this time of crisis. Visits to all of our facilities are on hold indefinitely until we are invited to come back. In the meantime, please enjoy a video message from some very lonely therapy dogs by clicking the PLAY button above.
Troupe Member of the Month - Ginny Paisie and Odin
Ginny has been a dedicated member of the PAWSitive Therapy Troupe since 2017. Her canine partner is Odin, a 5-year-old black Labrador Retriever. Ginny and Odin have been regular volunteers at Loyola University Medical Center, where they visit the Bernadin Cancer Center and the Surgical Waiting Room area. They also bring stress relief and smiles for busy medical residents at Loyola, and medical students at Stritch School of Medicine. Odin enjoys visiting the students at Wheaton College, several times each semester. And most of all, Ginny and Odin love their work at elementary schools in Lisle, Glen Ellyn and Downers Grove in the “Read With Me” programs. Young readers learn that reading is fun when they can read to a therapy dog! Ginny and Odin made their first appearance in the PAWSitive Therapy Troupe’s “Canine Nutcracker” 2018. Odin’s roles included Ballroom Dancer and Nutcracker Soldier, delighting children and adults alike in this epic holiday classic. Here is what Ginny has to say about Odin and their PAWSItive Therapy Troupe experiences: "Odin loves children, so his favorite visits are the elementary schools where early readers share their books with him. When I put on his vest and he hears my “Let’s go see kids!” his tail goes a mile a minute and he jumps into the car. In the classroom after a few initial tail wags, and maybe a few sniffs of pants and shoes (which elicit giggles from the younger ones) Odin lies down to listen. If the student reads AND pets him, Odin will often snuggle close or put his head on a lap for a closer look. Odin also enjoys the older “kids” at the Stritch School of Medicine and Wheaton College where vigorous belly rubs result in many smiles and a canine grin. Odin is a Labrador retriever, a breed known for a gentle temperament and an easy-going nature. These characteristics describe Odin perfectly. He is rarely ruffled by anything on a visit, whether it’s a noisy parking garage or an alarm for a fire drill. Labs also enjoy their food and snacks, but Odin understands the “leave it” command if we walk down a school corridor where a few dropped French fries smell tempting. One of Odin’s favorite snacks is Goldfish crackers, and that never fails to bring smiles from a first grader who says “I do too!” When we visit waiting rooms at Loyola, many times he is beckoned to by a patient or family member who has a lab at home or had one growing up. After some chin scratches or “give me a paw”, Odin more often than not plops right at the foot of the visitor as if to say, “I’ve found my happy spot. I’m here to keep you company for a while.” While he dozes, I can have a short conversation which I hope brings a sense of calm in a stressful situation. I think Odin’s favorite visit is to the students at Wheaton College; he just about pulls me down the street when he sees where we’re headed. His biggest fans show huge grins (one even squealed!) and never miss a chance to visit when they see us coming down the hallway. With Odin’s head on their lap, they talk about how they miss their dogs while they’re here at school. A few of them are from other countries, so I know Odin brings comfort and happy thoughts when they’re away from home; a bookmark or calling card lets them love on Odin after he’s done with his belly up, paws out, tail wagging petting position. During this staying-at-home time, our visits everywhere have been cancelled. So, Odin is learning some tricks (he is working on his AKC Advanced title) and practicing rally moves on the driveway. He is a very smart dog and a quick learner – his food motivation makes for easy training!” On behalf of all of us in the PAWSitive Therapy Troupe, thank YOU Ginny for your years of devoted service! |
The PAWSitive Therapy Troupe is an Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy program designed to share registered therapy dogs with patients and students in a variety of health care and educational settings.
Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) share registered therapy dogs with patients or students in a variety of activities such as individual bedside visits, entertaining demonstrations or educational sessions. Animal- Assisted Activities are not necessarily goal-directed, but they are nonetheless certainly therapeutic in nature.
Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is goal-directed intervention in which a therapy dog is an integral part of the clinical treatment process. It is directed by a licensed health care or education professional with specialized expertise and within the scope of his or her profession. AAT is designed to promote improvement in physical, social, emotional and / or cognitive functioning / reading skills. This process is documented in the health care record by the health care professional or in the education plan by the education professional.
Yes! Therapy dogs are NOT “service”, or “assistance” dogs. Service dogs include guide dogs for the blind; hearing dogs that alert their owners to sounds; mobility assistance dogs, which may pull a wheelchair or directly support a person; seizure alert dogs; and others like them. Service dogs are covered under the Americans With Disabilities Act. People with disabilities can BY LAW, take their service dogs with them wherever they go, including planes, restaurants, sporting events, etc.
Many people are under the mistaken impression that therapy dogs and their handlers have the same rights of access as people with disabilities and their service animals. Therapy dogs are NOT service dogs. They are NOT allowed to accompany their handlers wherever they go. Therapy dogs are invited into hospitals, nursing homes or schools to work with patients or students on very specific tasks, or simply to bring their unconditional love to the many people who need them in these facilities. Therapy dogs and their handlers have no more rights of access than anyone with a companion animal or pet.
Therapy dogs are always first and foremost beloved family pets. You cannot “buy” a ready made therapy dog. Therapy dogs and their owners, because of their interest in therapy work have undergone additional rigorous training to prepare them to function reliably in health care or educational settings. Therapy dogs live at home with their families when they are not working.
PAWSitive Therapy teams on the NBC News "Making a Difference" segment -- How Therapy Dogs are Helping Sick Kids at Loyola University Medical Center.
(April 30, 2019)
PAWSitive Therapy Troupe Featured on PBS's "In the Loop"
(May 25, 2017)
PAWSitive Therapy team Amy and Buster on CBS News
(February 16, 2018)
Loyola Celebrates 20 Years of Pet Therapy - For 20 years, the PAWsitive Therapy Troupe has been visiting patients, families and colleagues at Loyola Medicine. These canine caregivers bring comfort, support and encouragement through the unique healing power of the human-animal bond.
(July 2017)
For general information on Animal-Assisted Activities/Therapy, visit the Pet Partners web site.
If you are already a registered Pet Partner Team and would like to become involved yourself, please fill out our online application.
If you have further questions about the PAWSitive Therapy Troupe, contact us at:
