Havelock Rotary seeks dogs for therapy

Dallas perked his head up and wanted to know what was on the table.

Pat Rapaport, owner of the golden retriever therapy dog, gave a gentle command for Dallas to sit, and the dog returned to her side.

She said therapy dogs can be used in hospitals, nursing homes, schools and for wounded warriors, and the Havelock-Cherry Point Rotary Club is interested in finding someone in the area willing to see if their dog has what it takes to be used in therapy.

Rapaport, from Beaufort, demonstrated some of the techniques for therapy dogs at a recent Thursday morning meeting of club members.

She said Dallas, a 13-month-old named for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League, still has some learning to do. She said it takes a special dog to be used in therapy situations.

She said therapy dogs must go through obedience training, and the pet owners along with the dogs go through specific training for therapy. For example, the dog is not supposed to approach people but instead wait for people to approach it.

"The basic job is to put a smile on someone's face and relieve stress," Rapaport said.

She said seeing all the smiles makes the training worth the effort.

"You meet some wonderful people," she said. "They all want to share their stories about their dogs."

She said therapy dogs are different from those assisting the handicapped. For example, a therapy dog doesn't turn on lights or guide people through intersections. Instead, a therapy dog is supposed to be a well-behaved friend who is available for a pet, handshake or hug.

She pointed to a recent news broadcast in which a therapy dog helped a child abuse victim open up about her experience, allowing the prosecution of the accused.

In this area, the dogs are used in nursing homes and hospitals to give patients a reason to smile.

"It's a great program," Rapaport said. "The dog and the handler come together to work as a team to make people happy. That's my goal. That's Dallas' goal, too."

Anyone interested in seeing if their dog can be used for therapy can call Rotary member Bill Lesak at the Cherry Point base chapel at 466-4000 or Rapaport at 504-3565.