Recently members of the Well Community welcomed a unique visitor—one with four legs, a silky coat and an enthusiasm for connecting with people. During the Well’s Community Life Center, Jack, a black and white Havanese, brought boatloads of smiles as he performed tricks and soaked up all the pets he could get.
When Kathi Chandler, a longtime friend of the Well Community’s Executive Director, Alice Zaccarello, offered to bring a therapy dog to the Well Community, she knew it would be a fun and beneficial experience for members. Kathi regularly takes three therapy dogs to Baylor Hospital and sees firsthand the many ways these furry friends can help reduce stress and take people’s minds off of the challenges they face. “We get people to forget about being sick, forget about never leaving the hospital,” she says.
Kathi speaks of the many physical and mental health benefits of interacting with therapy dogs, including lowered blood pressure and relief from stress and anxiety. “It just helps with any kind of mental abilities. Just petting a dog calms everybody down … and getting him to do something they say is a little bit empowering.”
This was certainly true as Well Community members took turns holding a hoop for Jack to jump through, and their joy was evident as they lavished Jack with love and watched him perform tricks in exchange for treats. “If you hold a treat, he’ll do every trick he knows without you saying anything because he wants the treat,” Kathi explains. “He’s just ridiculously smart … and he’s just a great little companion.”
In addition, as numerous members of the Well Community experienced, interacting with dogs like Jack can be comforting for those who miss the pets they used to have or can’t currently see and prompt them to talk about these animals, providing an easy connection point. “Jack is the beginning of a conversation,” Kathi explains. “It just gets people to forget about their situation for a little bit. … At the Well they were all just lovely, really sweet. They told me all kinds of stories about their former pets.”
Though Jack’s visit was a special treat for members, Kathi says she considers serving at the Well a privilege and honor, and she encourages her neighbors to get involved as well. “We get to do something because we are a little bit of a privileged community. The Well is a real blessing to our community.”
And she, in turn, has been blessed by members of the Well Community. “At the Well, people are just so gracious … They’re all just so kind and so polite and so grateful for what little bit I was able to do for them. I can’t wait to go back.”
The Well Community offers many opportunities to volunteer, from serving a meal to helping with a fundraiser. One is sure to be a good fit for you, your family or your church or community group. Click here to learn more!