reality sound bites. Orlando Health Therapy Dogs Appear On The Dr. Oz Show.
A Hurricane Katrina Rescue Dog Helped Change Florida Law.
Almost three months after the Pulse Nightclub tragedy, Orlando Regional Medical Center doctors who treated the shooting victims were invited to appear as guests on The Dr. Oz Show. Other mem- bers of the entire Orlando Health System team, including therapy dogs, appeared as guests via satellite from Orlando. Joey (right) was one of six therapy dogs representing Orlando Health who appeared as guests via satellite. (pictured above, left to right: Terry and Annabelle, Amy and Cooper, Melinda and Paxton, Carol and Joey, Adelle and Daisy Mae, Jennifer and Mia.
Patty Sheehan Receives Orlando’s Animal Hero Award.
Commissioner Sheehan with Siena, her Yorkie/Schnauzer mix. A cat by the name of Nina Simone also lives with Sheehan.
The Pet Alliance of Greater Orlando established the Animal Hero Award to honor the people who go above and beyond to improve the lives of pets in their community. This year’s recipient, City of Orlando Commissioner Patty Sheehan, was honored during the shelter’s annual Furball gala in October. Commissioner Sheehan has advocated for positive changes for pets and their owners. In 2006, she was part of the team that spearheaded the passing of the Dixie Cup Clary Local Control Act, commonly known as the Doggie Dining law. She serves as the community’s Pack Leader during the shelter’s annual Paws in the Park fundraising event.
WHEN MINUTES COUNT: Poison hotlines have access to a massive database listing poisons. Operators on-call are immediately able to break down the seriousness of the threat based on the amount your pet has ingested compared to her weight. There is a $65 charge. ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center: 888.426.4435
aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control The Pet Poison Helpline: 855.764.7661 -
petpoisonhelpline.com
18 THE NEW BARKER
Rikki was an eight-week-old Golden Retriever from Mississippi when she ended up in Tallahassee, thanks to Hurricane Katrina. Ten days after the hurricane, Leon County Humane Society had 521 dogs and cats in a facility designed to house 350. Unable to accommodate more strays as a result of the hurricane, the shelter began send- ing animals to their foster family volunteers. Rikki, whose owner had to evacuate their Mississippi home and could no longer care for the puppy, ended up in the Tallahassee home of Chuck and Patty Mitchell. The Mitchells ended up adopting her. As a therapy dog, she has been comfort-
able with children reading to her in the library of Cornerstone Learning Community. She has helped countless patients at Tallahassee Memorial Rehabilitation Center. “She senses suffering, and everyone there is in pain,” said her owner/handler Chuck Mitchell. “We always tried to be a distraction from that pain and a motivation for them to do their exercises.” Where Rikki really made an impact was
at the Leon County Courthouse, where she worked for 10 years. She helped dozens of children who had to walk through the intim- idating courtroom doors and take a seat on the witness stand to testify. Children who wit- nessed violent crimes or who had been vic- tims of unspeakable abuse. It was a special bond between Rikki and
a five-year-old little girl that helped change a Florida law. With Rikki by her side, the little girl was able to answer questions about an accused child molester. “This was the first case in the state of
Florida, or anywhere else I can really think of, where there was a dog in a deposition,” recalled prosecutor John Hutchins. “I just remember that little girl petting the dog and holding the dog and squeezing the dog, a cou- ple of times probably a little too tight. But, Rikki was just great.” Incongruously, on the day the little girl
went to court to testify against the person charged with raping her, the judge would not allow Rikki to go with her. Continued
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