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It was a flyer on the post office wall that lured us into the pet therapy program at Ingham County Medical Care Facility (ICMCF). Violet Lentz, the volunteer volunteer coordinator, who started the pet therapy program some 20 years ago when she literally sneaked her mother's cat in the back door, was recruiting others to share small animals with the residents once a week.
The notice specified dogs and cats. Sure we could do dogs and cats. And how about something different? How about a miniature horse?
We have a very special little mare who I knew would be perfect for the program. She's a retired champion show mare who was dropped from our breeding program after she nearly died herself giving birth, too early, to a dead filly. Soat's Lil Sugar & Spice, our little "Sugar", is a blue eyed, cremello and white pinto who already had lots of experience tending to people's special needs. She'd been part of Equine Hospitality Row at the Michigan State Fair; she'd worked with handicapped children; she'd participated in educational programs at day care centers and churches; and she'd "done" children's birthday parties.
Although no horse had ever participated in the program, we got special permission to give it a try. So on the first Tuesday in November of 1997, Sugar jumped in the back of the Astro Van and made her debut as a therapy provider. Did she succeed? You bet!
Click on thumbnails to view a larger photo.
Violet and a pup
Harry and Vera with Sugar
Sylvia with Sue and Rumor
Maria with Angel
Mary with Sugar
Ronnie with Rumor
Joanie with Angel
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Sugar adjusted almost immediately to the wheelchairs, gurneys, walkers, oxygen equipment and other paraphernalia the residents used. (In fact, did you know that walkers make great muzzle rests for little horses?) She enjoyed the attention. And as we were soon to find out, Sugar gave even more than she received.
When we went to pet therapy for the second time, Don, a stroke victim and former cowpoke who we were told could not speak, smiled and, with great effort, said Sugar's name. Another resident who refused traditional physical therapy reached out to touch Sugar. The little horse was a "miracle worker".
Angel, our half chocolate point Siamese cat, gives her warmth, softness and purring to almost any person who needs her. Rumor, our red merle Australian Shepherd, has an uncanny ability to know who needs her to jump up and give them kisses and who just needs to stroke her as she sits by their side. And then there are the pups the folks at ICMCF help us socialize and all the other dogs, cats and kittens who occasionally brighten the day for those who so look forward to "pets".
Why do we keep doing pet therapy when it takes special effort to arrange the flextime at work, change clothes, hitch the trailer and make the trip in all kinds of weather?
When Sugar's ICMCF best friend Russell died in May of 1998, one week short of his 103rd birthday, we participated in his memorial service. At the luncheon, a card table was set up in the social hall, covered with pictures depicting this fine gentleman's entire lifetime. One of the pictures showed Sugar resting her head in Russell's lap as he sang to her and sweet talked her. Another showed Russell snuggling Angel. Sugar and Angel were that important to Russell. Russell was important to us. We do pet therapy to continue to honor that good man's memory.
We do pet therapy, because it brings joy to Sylvia ("the cat lady") who gave us a thank you note for letting her help raise our kittens and a handcrafted angel to watch over us, and who now even looks forward to getting Rumor kisses. We do pet therapy for Maurie ("the treat lady") who has her daughter buy "People Crackers" regularly just so she can be Rumor's and Sugar's favorite. We do pet therapy for Mary, who is blind and has no legs, but comes every week to "see" the animals and get kisses from Rumor. We do pet therapy, because it pleases Violet, who can no longer remember enough to brag about her granddaughter's accomplishments, but who holds the cats and visits the other animals. We do pet therapy for Vera, who especially enjoys Sugar and Rumor, because she used to raise and train Standardbreds and Shelties. We do pet therapy for Ronnie, who just celebrated his 60th wedding anniversary but can no longer live at home with his beloved wife, and always greets us with a big hug and kiss and "Lollipups" for Sugar and Rumor. We do pet therapy for Dan, who sits up and smiles when Sugar "bops" him with her head or Rumor jumps up to kiss his face. We do pet therapy, because it's a pleasant break for Leila, who desperately yearns for her brain seizures to end so she can go home to Lebanon. We do pet therapy for Maria who spends most of the day by herself due to language difficulties but has no problem at all communicating in her native Spanish with the animals. We do pet therapy for Harry who enjoys all the animals immeasurably. We do pet therapy for Joanie who is blind, can't use her hands and is otherwise so disabled that she's wheeled in on a special bed, because she gets such pleasure from "holding" Angel and feeling her purr.
We do pet therapy for each of these people and for all the other ICMCF residents who enjoy pets so much on Tuesday afternoons.
We do pet therapy, because it works - for ALL of us.
Postscript: On October 3, 2001, an American Miniature Horse named Soat's Lil Sugar & Spice ("Sugar") stepped onto the Roundup Inn stage at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Sugar stared out at the more than a thousand people. And the more than a thousand people who had gathered there stared back at her. Wide eyed, the pinto mare stood her ground.
It was a special night. That evening, Sugar received the Cosequin Equine Exemplary Service Award for her extraordinary humanitarian deeds. For several years, she has been an integral part of the County long term care facility pet therapy program, bringing smiles and comfort to residents of varying ages and abilities. A 40 member selections committee chose Sugar for one of the top ten awards from among some 570 nominations, representing all 50 states and many breeds and disciplines. Sugar is the first Miniature Horse to win the coveted award sponsored by Nutrimax Laboratories.
What an incredible honor!
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