Therapy dog, Millie, has to stay home due to coronavirus
April 2, 2020
Patients at University Hospital could use a dose of Millie, the therapy dog, these days, but Millie and her handler, Morris King, aren’t allowed to visit right now. The visitation policy at the hospital is restricted because of coronavirus concerns.
Millie is a four-year-old labrador retriever who lives in Mobile. She earned certificates and is titled as UKC Hunting Retriever Champion, AKC Senior Hunter, Canine Good Citizen, and Complex Therapy Dog. Millie is also the primary character and inspiration of the children’s book, Millie and Mo Dream Big, which inspires children to work hard and chase their dreams.
King has trained dogs all his life, even when he was a little boy. He has had a lot of retrievers, but he just knew there was something extra special about Millie.
“She is sensitive and tuned- into people’s emotions. She is a giving soul. I knew I could do more with her than just hunting. I knew I could serve with this dog,” King said.
“There are certain things that can be taught such as obedience and how to react to varying levels of stress. These things help set the dog up for success. I wish I could take credit for everything that Millie does that’s good, but I can’t. I just hold the leash. The magic that happens between a patient and a therapy dog is much greater than anything I could ever teach. A much higher power is at work!,” King adds.
King says he doesn’t know when they will be able to volunteer again, but he says as soon as the hospital opens up for visitors, he and Millie “will be the first to sign up.”
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]