Animals have a unique method of helping people with special needs just by their presence. Imagine the heartwarming effect the dog provides the human, even when the dog is also a special needs critter. Dharma Rescue helps dogs of all types and needs but most people from the Advantage Day Program have never encountered animals. Despite their own disabilities, the rescue dogs are trained to work as therapy dogs and help humans in need.
More about Dharma Rescue helping disabled dogs
The majority of the dogs at the Dharma Rescue suffer from paralyzing disabilities because of past abuse, injuries or just because a previous owner discarded their pet.
Cherisse Anel, Director at the Dharma Rescue, felt that the dogs at the facility qualify to be trained as therapy animals to help needy adults. Dharma Rescue is a non-profit facility for the rescue of Dogs And Cats. They provide the animals with shelter, rehabilitation, and medical care that includes spaying and neutering. The goal of the rescue is to provide wellness for the dogs and cats in mind, body, and spirit until they can find a loving forever home.
The Dharma Rescue started a program known as Disabled Animals Who Generously Serve or DAWGS. Part of the program is to take senior and disabled dogs and make them certified therapy animals. The dogs along with their handlers (volunteers) go to schools hospitals and other facilities in the community to meet children and adults with disabilities.
The dogs also frequent a senior living facility known as the Advantage Day Program.
Adults at the Advantage Day Program feel comfort when the dogs come to visit
The Advantage Day Program in-home care facility is located in Hawthorne, California. They offer Adult Day health care for seniors. They care for the patients 24 hours per day, seven days per week.
The seniors may either require non-medical care and support or medical to cover any health care needs. Some of the adult patients may be living with disabilities.
The residents of the facility, especially those with special needs looked forward to moments when the Dharma Rescue therapy dogs would visit the Advantage Day Program.
Anel from the rescue stated that the senior residents would light up when the dogs arrived. She continued to say that these people with disabilities spend their entire lives as disabled but the dogs energized them and filled them with peace and joy in those moments. It is amazing how these pups could communicate with the adults at the home, fulfill a purpose and teach people how to overcome life’s obstacles, to love and respect one another.
