I never cease to be amazed by the talent and effectiveness of service/therapy animals. I still can’t believe how confidently guide dogs navigate city streets that are too overwhelming for many people. And the wide variety of successful therapy animals – from horses to birds – reminds me how powerful the healing abilities of pets can be.
While I have always admired professional service/therapy dogs, yesterday I realized that every pet is a service/therapy animal to some degree. Eko looks out for me in a number of ways on a daily basis.
Eko comforts me when I’m feeling down
I pick him up and he picks up my spirits
And when I’m sick, Eko has no qualms about keeping me company
The vast majority of pets will never be certified service/therapy animals, but that certainly doesn’t mean they don’t improve our mood, outlook and overall health. Pets don’t care if you’re sick and they don’t need an explanation when you’re feeling down. All they need is you. After yesterday’s events in Boston, all I needed was a hug and thankfully Eko was happy to oblige.
Yesterday’s tragedy also reminded me of one of my favorite quotations from Fred Rogers, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me. ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.'”
Our thoughts are with the victims and the helpers.
