 "Photo: Photo courtesy of Therapy Dogs United")
The Barnes & Noble bookstore tells a different kind of “tail” on Thursday evenings.
It goes a little like this: “Once upon a time, there was a therapy dog named Doogan. His mission was to cure as many people as possible with his dog healing powers.”
This sounds like the start to a great fiction tale; believe it or not, it is fact. The truth is, Doogan is a therapy dog that visits Barnes & Noble every Thursday from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.
LuAnn Gatti, a therapy dog handler and proud owner of Doogan, loves working with dogs.
“They are there to make people feel good,” Gatti said.
Doogan covers a large territory, visiting nursing homes, schools and the Sarah Reed Children’s Center. He is a search and rescue dog in his spare time.
“Around 6 p.m. I put on my shoes and he knows he is going to [Barnes & Noble],” Gatti said.
Doogan is not alone in his quest to make a difference. He has a pack of friends to help.
Cocoa is a four-year-old standard poodle that visits Barnes and Noble on a weekly basis, too. She is accompanied by her owner and volunteer, Sue Ferraro, to every meeting.
There are usually up to five dogs a week on average, but sometimes as many as nine who visit the book store.
These therapeutic visitation dogs are household pets and work hard to make a difference in the community.
Each one of the therapy dogs is evaluated by Therapy Dogs United on their overall temperament with people of all ages.
They must sit, stay and obey all commands in order to pass the Canine and Therapy Dog Test that is mandatory prior to becoming a therapy dog.
Therapy dogs bring joy to people of all ages, providing love and companionship. Many visit local schools, learning institutions, nursing facilities, hospices and rehabilitation centers, going above and beyond the call of duty.
To build self-confidence, a therapy dog and a student are paired to help strengthen the child’s reading ability.
The child reads to the dog out loud as the dog listens without judgment.
Also, therapy dogs can reduce blood pressure, anxiety, depression and fatigue, while promoting physical healing and providing emotional support.
Although, therapy dogs don’t always travel to visit people, may people travel to visit the dogs.
Teri, a dog lover, attends the Barnes & Noble meeting every Thursday without fail.
“We love the animals. They can’t come to us, so we come to them,” she said.
The weekly meeting draws many people. Among the Barnes & Noble population are students from LECOM, Edinboro and other surrounding colleges.
Amber Cuzzola, an Edinboro elementary education student, thinks the program is beneficial.
“I think that it is a good idea. It is a way that kids can learn and get better; it is a great motivator,” she said.
Therapy Dogs United is a non-profit organization. If you are interested in donating, attending an upcoming event, becoming a volunteer or the next TDU Therapy Dog Testing date, log onto www.therapydogunited.org or call (814) 456-DOGS.
There is always a “tail” to be told at Barnes and Noble when therapy dogs meet with the public every Thursday in the magazine lounge.
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