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Fur the sake of helping
Visitation program celebrates pets' power to lift spirits



Reprinted from The Sun/Homer Glen/Lockport/Lemont, Wednesday December 26, 2001

By Susan Frick Carlman, STAFF WRITER

Levi Jean loves her friends. A lot. And they know it. But she covers their faces with sloppy kisses from time to time anyway, just to make sure they don't forget.
The 5-year-old sheltie is a regular visitor at Shady Oaks, a Homer Glen residential facility for people with cerebral palsy. Accompanied by her owner, Kathy Kanak, Levi spends Thursday afternoons touring the east and west portions of the home, giving some of that unconditional love for which dogs are known.
The pair were the first to step up when Tender Loving Care Animal Shelter in Homer Glen inaugurated its community outreach program in the spring. The all-volunteer endeavor connects dogs or cats and their owners - or in some cases temporary TLC tenants and volunteer handlers - with people in health care facilities, retirement homes and special-needs schools. The idea is to foster the people-pet relationship that is known to benefit the human species.
Before organizers launched the program, they brought a wheelchair and walker to the shelter to see how the animals would respond. It was decided that they would do fine, and the Very Impressive Pets program of animal-assisted activities was born.
According to Phyllis Klingensmith of New Lenox, a longtime TLC volunteer who is coordinating the VIP project, it's working well so far. A dozen volunteers are engaged in weekly or twice-monthly visits to facilities throughout the west suburban area, and several more are poised to begin participating, she said.
"They're interacting with the residents, trying to give them a little better quality of life," Klingensmith said.
Levi and Kanak elevate the quality of life at Shady Oaks a little bit each week. On a recent Thursday, Levi sported a sheltie-size angel costume, complete with wings and halo, in honor of the holiday season.
"Don't laugh at her," Kanak cautioned. "She doesn't like it."
After sitting patiently for several portraits with residents, Levi had clearly had enough. She doffed the getup and appeared instantly happier, perching on laps and curling up in Kanak's arms to deliver more of those kisses.
"Levi's the type of dog who just loves everybody. She loves attention, and she's very laid back," Kanak said. "She's just a people puppy."
Being a people puppy is integral to success as an activities dog. Baby is an old pro. The 12-year-old toy poodle from Lemont makes the rounds at several different facilities regularly, including a hospice. She brings along her owner, Annie Coleman, who adopted her from TLC.
The pair's visits are eagerly anticipated at the places they go calling.
"Everybody goes, 'There's Baby! There's Baby!' Nobody knows me," laughed Coleman, who was named by the Lemont Chamber of Commerce as this year's citizen of the year in large part because of her volunteerism.
Coleman agrees that it takes a certain sort of dog to do what Baby does and do it well.
"She's gentle and she's loving. I've had her 10 years," she said. "She doesn't growl, ... and she loves the mailman."
At Shady Oaks, the animal visitation program - which is known as Pet Pals and also includes a regular feline guest - is a highlight of the week. Signs posted on the walls serve as reminders that Kanak and Levi are coming to see their friends.
"They love it. They really look forward to Thursdays," said program director Kristen Salinas. "It's really helped to bring some of the residents out of their shells. It's social interaction, but it's not as risky as social interaction with other people."
The volunteers are dedicated to helping create that sort of outcome. Kanak and Levi get as much satisfaction from their visits as do their hosts.
"She loves coming here," Kanak said. "I put her scarf on, and she knows exactly where we're going."
Coleman acknowledges that the pet owners and handlers who make the visits possible are a special breed.
"Animal people are just marvelous."

Contact STAFF WRITER Susan Frick Carlman at (815) 439-7528 or scarlman@scn1.com.

12/26/01