AAT STORIES

A woman paralyzed by stroke had been unresponsive for over a year. Her physical therapist had been working daily with her to no avail. B.J. Cobb, Animals Samaritans' Health Care and Assisted Living division coordinator for their Animal Assisted Therapy program, brought Daniel for a visit and the dog immediately approached the woman with the contorted posture and catatonic expression. Her therapist placed the woman's hand on Danny's head. Nothing. Then Danny licked her hand, and the woman smiled-for the first time in over a year.

After 27 years in the medical industry, retired nurse Martha Smilie is still working in hospitals. Now, however, instead of bringing doctors to see patients, Martha brings Sugar and Bella, her docile, fox-colored Pomeranians.

"I got the dogs specifically for this purpose," says Martha.

When an injury on the job put her temporarily in a wheelchair and on permanent disability, Martha knew she had to find another way to serve. Soon after adopting her dogs, Martha called several hospitals and nursing homes in and around her hometown of Huntington Beach, California. Each was eager to have a pet therapist on their premises, but there were roadblocks.

"The problem was that no one was willing to help me obtain the training," recalls Martha. "To get the training I needed was going to cost me upwards of $2,000. So I dropped it. Being on worker's comp it was cost prohibitive."

After moving to the Desert, Martha discovered Animal Samaritans SPCA and became a member. Her cost for becoming an Animal Assisted Therapist? Twenty-five dollars times two, the price of therapy vests for Sugar and Bella.

In June, Martha, Sugar and Bella had their first assignment; one Martha says she'll never forget. Theirs was a community center for mentally challenged adults. That's where Bella made instant friends with a timid, mentally-challenged thirty-eight year old resident who we'll call Dave.

"Would you like to hold Bella?" asked Martha.

Dave was hesitant to approach. According to Martha, when Dave first held Bella he was shaking. In time, however, he began to calm. Martha noticed his eyes becoming moist and glassy.

"I'm feeling the love jumping from my chest," Dave told her.

Soon it was all too much, and Dave asked Martha to take Bella back. He wasn't feeling well, and left the room. To Martha's surprise, fifteen minutes later Dave returned. He knelt down in front of her and gazed up sheepishly with the trust of a child.

"Could I hold her again?" he asked, "I forgot to tell her something."

Dave remained on the floor as Martha delivered soft, demure Bella to his waiting arms. "This time," recalls Martha, "he held Bella close to his chest." Bella's diminutive pink tongue licked at Dave's chin as he stroked Bella's head and summoned his courage to speak.

"Bella?" he finally told her, "You make my world alright. I love you, Bella. You make my heart sing."

"That's when I noticed he had big tears in his eyes," recalls Martha.