National Pet Day
In celebration of National Pet Day, it’s only fitting to spotlight two exceptional volunteers at Craig: Steve and his pet therapy dog, Hercules. Their journey with us began in December 2022 as one of 16 human-animal teams in our Animal-Assisted Intervention Program (AAIP), bringing joy and therapeutic support to our patients on a weekly basis.
Steve and his family serve as volunteer puppy raisers for Canine Companions and receive puppies at two months old and train them until they are 18 months old, providing them with a nurturing environment, comprehensive training and mastery of 40 different commands. Hercules VI, one of these lucky pups who was bred, raised and trained to be a service dog, was with Steve from March 2017 to November 2018 when he was sent to complete his professional training at Canine Companions San Diego.
Despite being released from the professional training program due to alert barking — an instinctive response to sudden loud noises — Hercules didn’t retire his vest. He officially became a cherished member of Steve’s family in Colorado and began a meaningful new chapter at Craig and recently celebrated his 7th birthday!
With Hercules’s temperament and background training, it made him the perfect match to be a therapy dog where his strengths and skills can easily be worked into the therapy that a patient is already doing to help them work toward their goals.
On a typical day, Steve and Hercules check in with Lori Womeldorff, a certified recreational therapist and AAIP coordinator, to identify any scheduled appointments that could benefit from Hercules’s presence. Recognizing that many of our patients are away from their pets during their neurorehabilitation, even a simple interaction with Hercules can significantly lift their spirits.
In the absence of scheduled appointments, Steve and Hercules make their rounds, visiting therapy rooms and engaging with patients. Hercules’s skill set enables him to perform a variety of tasks such as lying next to patients, assisting with reading and speaking exercises, fetching items, opening doors, and distributing his unique Craig Therapy Dog card.
A big thank you goes out to Steve and Hercules for spreading so much joy and improving the life of our patients, their families and our staff. You are such pawsome members of our Craig family!