Therapy dogs help heal girls' wounds at Maryville
By
Eileen O. Daday
Every month, a group of
eagerly-awaited visitors arrive at Maryville Academy's Eisenberg Campus in
Bartlett.
The shrieks of joy from
the teenage girls begin as soon as the handlers unload the therapy dogs from
their cars. Coming from their group residences, the girls rush up to meet the
dogs, calling them by name.
“Pepsi,” a 6-year old
golden retriever, described as “hyper” by the girls, is a particular favorite,
but the others that day include a pair of shih tzus, as well as a Siberian
husky mix, a 120-pound Bernese mountain dog, a yellow lab mix and a shepherd
mix.
All of these dogs have
been rescued, and are certified by Rainbow Animal Assisted Pet Therapy, based
in Des Plaines. It is one of the largest organizations of its kind in the
Chicago area, serving 155 therapeutic programs, or 1,000 children per month.
“The kids get a lot of
fun and enjoyment out of it,” says Mike Dagley, coordinator of the Maryville
visits, “but there's really a lot of teaching going on.”
He and the other handlers
set up an agility course in the gym, but first they offer the girls the chance
to walk the dogs around the perimeter as a way to warm up. While the handler
holds the dog with one leash, the girls hold another, giving commands of when
to sit, stay and heel.
“We've been coming for so
many years, that (the girls) all have their favorites,” says Carol Schuster of
Northbrook, whose 5-year old lab mix, Becca, is one of them. “They call them,
‘my dog,' and they feel like they are in charge when they're walking them.
“The dogs still look at
the handler if they're confused,” she adds, “but for the most part, it's the
girls they look to. It's pretty empowering.”
Schuster once had a
foster daughter who lived at the campus, and she remembers how much she looked
forward to the dogs coming to campus.
“It was a huge highlight
of her week, of her month,” Schuster says. “She would talk about it for weeks.”
Sheila Curtin of Palatine
comes every month with Zach, her 7-year-old German shepherd mix. When she's not
coming to Maryville, Curtin chairs the “Read to Rover” program at the Palatine
Public Library, where children read to one of the therapy dogs.
She sees value in that
program, but it's hard on Zach, who has to lie still for 45 minutes or so while
the child reads. He prefers the active play he gets with the girls at
Maryville, who run him through the agility course and play other games with
him.
Curtin says she gains the
most rewards from seeing how the dogs draw out girls who seem fearful or
withdrawn, at first.
“They sit up at the top
of the bleachers, not wanting to join in,” Curtin says. “But gradually they
come down. In fact, we've never had one not want to participate.
“It's really exciting for
me to see them overcome their fears,” she adds, “and give the dog some
commands.”
Rocco Cimmarusti, program
director for Maryville's Eisenberg Campus, says the connection starts early.
“These dogs have been
rescued — and so are these girls,” he says. “They have all been abused and come
from some absolutely horrific backgrounds. And yet, there is clearly a message
here, that like these dogs, they don't have to give up, that someone can be
nice to them, that they can make it.”
He describes the contact
with the therapy dogs as calming and healing, which is among Maryville's main
goals.
“One of our goals is to
teach them that there are moments of safety, of trust, and that's what we build
on,” Cimmarusti says. “When you see these moments of trusting, then you see
other treatment taking effect.”
Copyright
© 2012 Paddock Publications, Inc. All rights reserved.
