Helping Healing Paws

Big strong paws to help you pull through. Wet, sloppy kisses to wash away your tears. Soft, floppy ears to listen to your secret fears. Warm hearts bearing cold noses giving just the right amount of nudge.

Tears rush to my eyes when I remember Gemma, our first female D4D canine, gently crawling up into an advanced-staged cancer, elderly woman’s bed. All the bones of her body were no thicker than my wrists. As Gemma got just settled next to her, she lifted one of those arms and stroked Gemma’s fur. Her face content, her eyes looking at me spoke a thousand words without lips. Gemma knew just what to do, how to do it, and did so without prejudice or fear. So often have I seen just the opposite in the eyes of the human-kind. Our canines’ un-assuming nature and self-sacrifice makes them a most valuable partner in times of strength and weakness.

So, I confess, the first ever nursing homes we visited were that of my grandparents’. At first, we were there to see my grandpa, a WWII bronze star, purple-heart veteran, paratrooper, and my grandma, a twin and one of the last surviving of nine children. My grandpa had suffered a stroke and my grandma’s memory wasn’t always the best; but both canine and humankind were just beaming on those Saturday afternoons. THEN, IT HAPPENED, before too long we were visiting more and more seniors in this community. Dressing up for holidays, telling stories—I have lived vicariously through three wars, traveled the world, worked for the famous, raised hundreds of children, and gave final kisses goodbye.

Helping Healing Paws cannot exist without you!

We are by INVITATION ONLY at such facilities!

Hospitals

Nursing Homes

Retirement Living

Your Home

Libraries

Schools

Rehabilitation Centers

Support Centers

Let our Dogs4Duty open heart be there for you and your loved ones.

One-Time Visit (ex. child's wish)

On the Schedule (ex. every 3rd Sunday)

Call 440-563-5845 or email us