THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, July 7, 1995 TAG: 9507060163
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 05 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JO-ANN CLEGG, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 82 lines
There comes a time in every working woman's life when the aches and pains, the need for extra trips to the doctor's office and the strong desire to take an afternoon snooze give the body the signal that the time has come to hand in those retirement papers.
Minnie, who has enjoyed a five-year (make that 35, in dog years) career as a therapy dog with the Virginia Beach Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, is no exception.
Several months ago the SPCA staff began noticing that Minnie just wasn't her usual self.
``We thought she might be getting depressed, living in the shelter all the time,'' said Susan Wagner, the SPCA's humane educator. ``But then we started looking at her more closely and realized that she wasn't moving as easily as she used to.''
The society's veterinarian gave her a thorough going-over and came up with a diagnosis.
Minnie, he said, was suffering from back problems.
For a canine who loved nothing better than to take a flying leap into the arms of a nursing home resident or prance around on her hind legs for the enjoyment of a group of psychiatric patients, it meant an end to a productive career.
Last Thursday, surrounded by a group of her SPCA friends, including Blackberry, the therapy rabbit who had joined her on many of her hospital and nursing home trips, Minnie was retired with appropriate honors.
``We figured she deserved a nice ceremony,'' said Sharon Adams, director of the SPCA. ``She's worked hard for it.''
Wagner said Minnie has visited at least 5,000 elderly and hospitalized friends over the years and performed more tricks and given more of her slurpy kisses than anyone could count.
``We first realized that she was meant to be a therapy dog the day that she walked into a psychiatric hospital, headed straight for a very large man who was talking incoherently, jumped into his lap and gave him a big kiss,'' Wagner said.
That's the kind of work that therapy pets are supposed to do. Connecting with those who are hurting or lonely is in the job description of the small animals, Minnie and Blackberry included, whom Wagner takes with her on her daily rounds.
Only there weren't any rounds Thursday morning. Instead Wagner, armed with a colorful bag of goodies, was conducting the official ceremony while Minnie was engaged in her second favorite activity, begging people for food.
``That's why we call her Minnie the Moocher,'' Adams said with a sigh as she watched Minnie eying a plate of sausage biscuits and Danish pastries.
While Minnie begged, Wagner pulled gifts and necessities for the little terrier-spitz mix from a colorful bag.
On hand to watch and learn were Tom and Alyce Parsons, the North End couple with whom Minnie will make her retirement home.
When Wagner reached the bottom of the bag she pulled out one last retirement memento. With great ceremony she attached a large cloth purple heart to Minnie's collar.
``We figured she deserved this,'' Wagner said. ``We suspect that she probably received her injury from all the jumping and prancing she did in the line of duty.''
Minnie, as if to confirm her statement, jumped up and began to dance around on her hind legs.
``Down, Minnie!'' Wagner and Adams commanded in unison. It was a command they've had to issue often since the veterinarian ordered a restricted lifestyle for Minnie.
With the ceremonies over, Minnie left the shelter with her new family.
Behind them Adams, Wagner and the rest of the staff and volunteers dabbed at their eyes and waved goodbye. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by JO-ANN CLEGG
``We figured she deserved a nice ceremony,'' SPCA director Sharon
Adams said of Minnie the therapy dog, who is being retired from her
work with nursing home and psychiatric patients because of back
problems. ``She's worked hard for it.''
by CNB