Leave it to our furry four-legged friends to lift spirits during a trying time.
Therapy dogs, along with their handlers, recently revisited what were once regular stops on their mission to spread love, comfort and joy to those in need, and there are many people in that category these days.
A parade of dogs and their handlers brought more colour and light to an already brilliantly sunny day on August 17, outside of Evergreen Care Unit and Willingdon Creek Village, happily going about their business from person to person.
Dogs and other pets, whether in service or just part of a family, are oblivious to the COVID-19 pandemic. Lucky for them. While the rest of us deal with the effect COVID-19 is having on every aspect of our lives, pets continue with their regular routines: protecting properties; cheering up owners and those who cross their paths; or sleeping at least 20 hours per day.
While they may not understand that a pandemic is affecting their human friends and contacts in a variety of ways, they do perceive unhappiness and pain, according to local therapy-dog-program facilitator Deb Maitland, and have an “intuitive sense” to go to whomever most requires their attention, and affection. So, maybe they do understand in their own way.
Sometimes all it takes is a wagging tail and a lick to the back of a hand to make someone’s day. While humans lack a tail to wag, and hand licking would be frowned upon in most cases, we do understand what it takes to make someone’s day. Maybe a bum wiggle and a virtual hug will do the trick?
Oh to be oblivious. It really is a dog’s life.
