Most people cannot resist a cute, friendly dog. When we hit the streets with our sweet-if-irritating shelter mutt, it just amazes me how many people want to come up, pet her and ask questions about her. Our cute, friendly kid garners nowhere near as much attention (of course, I'd karate chop anyone who attempted to rub her belly).
So this story struck me as extra sweet. A non-profit called Gabriel's Angels, started by Pam Graber and her nine-year-old Weimaraner, Gabriel, brings pet therapy to kids at crisis shelters in Phoenix and Tuscon.
From its beginnings eight years ago, the nonprofit has now grown to 100 dog-owner therapy teams and has reached more than10,000 kids.
Graber was volunteering at Crisis Nursery, a children's agency in Phoenix, when she brought Gabriel with her on a whim. The kids really responded to him, so the idea to bring pet therapy to kids in crisis was planted.
For many of these kids, they've experienced only mistrust and disappointment from their human relationships, so the unconditional affection from the dogs and reliability of their owners teach them about trust and kindness. Some kids who don't bond with any human immediately form relationships with their canine visitors.
Interestingly, Graber doesn't take any real pleasure in the ongoing need for her group.
She told The Arizona Republic newspaper "In my best dream, Gabriel's Angels wouldn't exist because child abuse wouldn't exist. But for now, anywhere there's an abused child we want to help. We're intervening in the cycle of violence. The animals are the bridge for behaviors like trust, love, empathy, compassion."
Photo: Arizona Republic
