Sign In

Blue The Therapy Dog

May 26, 2020

Blue the therapy dog and his handler Judy Bailey usually spend their days visiting nursing homes, schools and hospitals in Beauregard and Vernon Parish to bring a little tail wagging joy to everyone they encounter.

However, coronavirus has impacted Blue and Judy’s ability to visit the residents that see Blue as their own dog, a friend and sometimes he and Judy are residents only visitors.

The Today Show interviewed Judy Bailey about how social distancing is affecting service dogs and their ability to do their jobs, and their service to the community members who look so forward to their visits.

The Today Show interviewed Bailey, noting her and Blue’s travels to over 400 hospitals and nursing homes in and around DeRidder, through the nonprofit Alliance of Therapy Dogs.

The coronavirus caused Bailey and Blue to have to get creative as a way to let Blue’s friends and “other” owners know that he was thinking of them and missing them.

Bailey began sending texts and photos of Blue to the leaders of several facilities for them to share with the residents who were even more isolated due to Covid-19.

Sending in photos with captions about the activities in the life of Blue to activity directors has given Bailey something to take her mind off of the virus, and continue to serve her community with the help of Blue.

“I’ve put little messages saying, ‘Blue really loves you,’ and ’Blue is waving hello,” she told TODAY.

“I’ll let them know, ’We’re doing great. We really miss you. We hope we get to see you soon.”

Besides sending in photos and messages to leaders at living facilities and nursing homes Bailey has been doing Zoom meetings with outpatient facilities to bring some happiness into those affected by social distancing the most.

“It has been a real blessing,” said Bailey

“It breaks my heart to see these people who are so isolated as it is and now even more isolated with COVID,” said Bailey.

Blue, who was dumped in a field near Bailey’s home, came to Bailey by chance, but she says she knew that he was special from the moment she saw him.

“We kept him, he was meant to be doing something for other people. I knew that there was something unique and special about Blue,” said Bailey.

“It’s such a ministry to help people just smile and feel better and forget about their problems,” Bailey said of volunteering with Blue.

Blue is also in the process of working with the Beauregard Parish Sheriff’s Office as a certified Therapy Dog to help with child victims of crime.

Register Your Dog

  • Most Recent News

    Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life

    When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]

    Read more

    Students Get Therapy Dog

    When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]

    Read more

    Therapy Dogtor

    Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]

    Read more

    Therapy Dog Pups

    When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]

    Read more

    Puppy Cams

    A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]

    Read more

    Pet Committee

    When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]

    Read more