Teddy at the Park office.
We’ve spent the past couple of months introducing everyone to our newest team member at the Park office. Teddy is an adorable golden doodle working toward an important job. He is currently going through obedience and service training. Once he’s ready, Teddy will be at the Park office and will be more than happy to provide support and love to anyone in need.
Animals can make a big impact when it comes to grief support. The comfort and feeling of companionship from an animal, even if it’s not your own pet, can do wonders for a person suffering a lost loved one. The simple silent companionship and comfort of an animal can often help people break through difficult emotional walls.
According to Husson University, therapy dogs reduce stress, help with anxiety and even assist in building social connections. They go on to say animal-assisted therapy helps with mental and physical health as well as skills assistance such as language and social skills. MDPI, an academic publisher, even takes it a step further saying that the simple act of petting a dog or cat can facilitate the release of hormones like oxytocin which is more commonly known as the “happy hormones.”
Teddy is not alone in his important work as a service animal. Bear, a black lab who works part-time at a funeral home does this exact type of work. He is available at the funeral home by request, in addition to doing other valuable animal service work in his community.
Once Teddy is a fully certified service dog, he will be able to provide support to people at hospitals, nursing homes, senior centers and, of course, the Park.