The power of pets, the touching of lives through animal interaction, is the theme for the annual ROAR with Laughter benefit Saturday, Feb. 22 at BMW of Ridgefield.
Volunteers Mary Jo Duffy and Didi Tulloch revamped in 2008 the Therapy Dogs International program into a the grass roots program known as the ROAR Therapy Dog Program.
Each dog and handler team is unique and offers opportunities for therapeutic contact, Ms. Tulloch said. “There is no perfect breed or mix of breeds for therapy work; the most important element is that the dog be healthy, well mannered, not aggressive, and enjoy human contact.”
On completion of the five-week training program the dogs are given a ROAR Therapy Dog vest. “When I put the vest on Bode, she knows she’s going to work,” Ms. Tulloch said.
The ROAR Therapy Dog program has about 30 certified teams at this time. They visit elementary schools in Ridgefield, Redding and Danbury, elder care and assisted living facilities, libraries, hospice and teen centers. The program planning to expand to hospitals, hospice and grief counseling centers.
For more information, contact Ms. Duffy at the ROAR Donofrio Family Animal Shelter, 45 South Street, 203-438-0158 or visit www.roar-ridgefield.org.
For information or to reserve a seat for ROAR with Laughter , go to www.roar-ridgefield.org or call Pam Rybarczk at 203-664-1235.