By Kathy Floyd
Staff Writer
The air at Valley View Elementary School is filled with excitement over a ceremony Friday to honor one of the students’ most special friends – Turbo.
Turbo is a 3-year-old Rottweiler therapy dog owned by Valley View resident Pat Crawford. At 2 p.m. in the Valley View Elementary gym, Turbo will be introduced as the 2008 inductee into the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation’s Texas Animal Hall of Fame.
Valley View staff will be wearing specially made T-shirts that honor Turbo, and all the students will have buttons with Turbo’s picture and paw-print tattoos that say “I love Turbo.” Each student also will be given a bookmark with the dog’s picture and basic rules of animal ownership.
Valley View Mayor Carl Kemplin will present Turbo with a key to the city, and other local officials will be on hand to take part in the ceremony.
“Those of us involved are so excited we can hardly sleep,” Valley View Elementary counselor Kathy Ramsey said. “Turbo is just an exceptional, exceptional dog who has made a difference here at Valley View.”
That is one reason Crawford wanted the ceremony at Valley View Elementary, the place where he has made the most impact.
Turbo is a certified therapy dog that also regularly visits Pecan Tree Rehabilitation Center and the Wheeler House in Gainesville. Representatives from Wheeler House and Pecan Tree will be present at the ceremony.
A chance encounter when Valley View School Board President Alan Kassen’s cows escaped into neighbor Crawford’s pasture led to discussions about Turbo visiting the school. After an OK by previous superintendent Kathy Garrison, Turbo became the students’ newest best friend.
“The response was overwhelming,” Crawford said. “Turbo is a big sweet teddy bear. He’ll switch gears from nursing homes to kids to being a show dog at obedience training. He’s a wonderful example for the breed.”
Before Turbo visits, Crawford shows a video about responsible pet ownership, then the kids are given hands-on time to reinforce the video.
“There’s Turbo!” kids yell when they see Crawford and Turbo walk up to the school. Sometimes it takes a while for Turbo to get to his destination because everyone, teachers and students alike, stop to pet him and speak. The attachment all Turbo’s acquaintances feel to him is obvious.
While there, Turbo visits classrooms where the younger children get to spend a few minutes petting him. Sometimes the younger children will use Alexandra Day’s “Carl” books, the children's’ classics with few words about Carl the Rottweiler, and make up their own story.
The older children will split up into small groups and take turns reading to him, which both teachers and Crawford say has been one of the most successful aspects of Turbo’s visits.
“The dog isn’t judgmental of the kids who may read slower or those who are more shy,” Crawford said.
Turbo also visits the reading resource room where children who may need extra help get to spend one-on-one time with him.
“Turbo is just so non-threatening,” said reading resource teacher Suzette McAfee. “He is so accepting of the kids when they read. He is such a positive experience for our campus.”
Turbo makes his way from room to room, entering and taking his place among the children, soaking up their love.
Student Travis Hardee worked with Turbo last year and this year.
“He’s a friend,” Travis said. “He’s easy to talk to and it just makes me glad to see him.”
Turbo began his therapy career at Pecan Tree. Crawford said that the residents there quickly became attached to Turbo, with some claiming him as their own dog. He has also participated in the summer reading program at the Cooke County Library.
One of Crawford’s goals is to knock the bad reputation that Rottweilers have received because of irresponsible pet owners. Turbo has taken a temperament test, which Crawford said he “sailed through.”
Animals for the Hall of Fame are nominated by a veterinarian. Crawford believes that Turbo is the first Rottweiler to be inducted. His vet, Dr. Lynn Stuckey of Animal Hospital in Sanger, nominated him for the award.
“He’s a awesome dog,” Stuckey said. “He’s affected a lot of people’s lives from school kids to seniors.”
Stuckey also praised Crawford for what she does with Turbo.
“Pat puts in a lot of time and helps teach the kids responsible pet care,” Stuckey said. “She’s put in hundreds and hundreds of volunteer hours.”
Turbo has won numerous obedience and therapy awards including the Anvil TRUE Award for therapy work and a top 10 obedience award in 2007 through the American Rottweiler Club.
Turbo is one of two dogs honored this year. Founded by the Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation in 1984, the Texas Animal Hall of Fame was created to share the joy of the human-animal bond by recognizing exceptional animals. Texas Veterinary Medical Association members nominate animals each year, and the TVMA Public Relations Committee chooses which animals to induct.