Darwin makes the papers!

Jean Savitzky and Darwin, a golden retriever, share a moment together as part of the Escondido Humane Society’s Pet Education Program at Seacrest Village. Scott Linnett | Union-Tribune photos

Today’s Local News » Pet project

Pet project

Visiting animals bring smiles to seniors

By Angela Holman | angela.holman@tlnews.net

Sunday, August 18, 2007

As Esther Guttman, 95, sat down for the Escondido Humane Society’s Pet Education Program, she told Darwin, a 13-month-old golden retriever, that he was beautiful and caressed his head and ears. Then she fed him some treats out of the palm of her hand.

Guttman never had pets of her own. She said she used to be afraid of animals, but the education program has taught her there is no reason to fear them.

“I like the program very much,” she said Thursday morning while petting a guinea pig named Sweet Pea. “It teaches you a lot about animals.”

Guttman lives at Seacrest Village, a retirement community in Poway with 60 residents. Once a month, a volunteer from the humane society takes a variety of creatures, including lizards, hamsters, tarantulas, millipedes and rabbits, to Seacrest Village for residents to enjoy.

The seniors sit in a group and take turns touching and holding the animals while a volunteer from the humane society talks about each pet.

Dana McCrea, activities coordinator at Seacrest Village, said the residents love the program. They look forward to being surprised by what types of animals the humane society brings, McCrea said.

“You can look around and see the smiles on their faces when they’re interacting with the animals,” she said.

Seacrest Village doesn’t allow its residents to have pets. McCrea said the program provides the seniors a chance to be around animals, which promotes an overall sense of well-being.

June Teplitz enjoys her time with Sadie.

While a cat named Sadie sat in her lap, June Teplitz, 80, said she thinks the program is wonderful.

“It gives the residents a chance to love something because many of them don’t have children or husbands or wives,” Teplitz said.

She said she always had cats and dogs while her children were growing up and misses having pets.

Eva Schloss, 87, said she never had a pet, which is why she always attends the program.

“It makes me happy because they are warm and cuddly and very affectionate once they get used to you,” Schloss said. “I would love to have a pet.”

Humane society volunteer Dorothea Boughdadly has been bringing her therapy pets along with those from the animal shelter to Seacrest Village since February. She said the program is all about making people feel special, because many of the community’s residents don’t get visitors.

“I get as much out of it as they do,” Boughdadly said. “I get to share my animals, which is my love, with people who share their experiences in life … and I bring smiles to faces — that is a big feel good.”

Ina Shookhoff, director of education at the humane society, said the shelter has offered the program for more than 12 years. She said volunteers visit a dozen facilities in the area, including one for brain damaged adults and one for foster children.

The shelter has about 20 animals it uses for pet therapy; they are not available for adoption. The humane society charges facilities $30 for weekly visits, $40 to present the program twice a month or $50 for one visit.

Shookhoff said the money goes toward keeping the shelter running and to care for the animals used in the program.

She said the society has about eight volunteers who present the program, but can always use more.

Shookhoff said she’s grateful for the volunteers she has because they bring a lot of happiness to the people who live in the facilities the humane society visits.

“It has long been known that pet therapy programs are very advantageous to patients,” she said. “Studies have found that patients benefit physiologically. Blood pressure is reduced, tensions are relaxed and a general feeling of contentment is observed in many of the residents.”