Golden Retriever Who Lost All Of Her Legs Is Able To Walk Again And Becomes Therapy Dog Helping Others

Sep 06, 2019 by apost team

“A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than you love yourself.” –Josh Billings

Dog owners know that their dogs fill their hearts with peace, contentment, and happiness. However, all dogs are not as well-loved and taken care of.

Chi Chi, a beautiful Golden Retriever, was rescued several years ago wrapped in plastic and in the trash outside a South Korean butcher shop. Wire bound her legs tightly. 

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Luckily, an animal rescue organization found her and took her to a vet. Unfortunately, she had to have all four of her legs amputated. However, in a short while, she was adopted by a Howell family in Phoenix, Arizona. Chi Chi was fitted with unique custom prosthetics and learned to walk, and she also learned to trust people without fear for her well-being.

Now a Therapy Dog

Chi Chi is now able to use her tremendous spirit to help others. She completed a therapy dog training course and regularly visits special-needs elementary school students, an assisted-living facility, and a veterans’ center. She has a lot of love to share and inspires others with her therapy work.

Therapy Dogs Can Also Improve Mental Health

Dogs can understand the moods and feelings of their humans. Those who are suffering from Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be helped to recover from stress, panic attacks, uneasiness, and other hardships.

Children with Autism are found to form good relationships with their paw buddies and show noticeable improvements in being relaxed, comfortable, and finding it easier to express themselves.

Heart patients have positively responded to therapy dog-assisted therapy that improves cardiopulmonary problems, anxiety, and more in patients who are hospitalized. Alzheimer patients are aided by therapy dogs by behavior interruption, which helps reduce anxiety and irritating distractions and gets them to refocus. The dog's wagging tail is often enough to calm their minds and have them switch to a joyous mood.

Organization

The Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) is a national organization that provides registration, testing, certification, insurance, and support for approximately 16,000 caring members who are willing to be a certified therapy team that volunteers with their special faithful canines to bring joy, peace, comfort, and smiles to people of all ages and conditions.

The importance of well-behaved and well-mannered therapy dogs in reducing stress and providing comfort with affection and calmness has been embraced. Those dogs are one of the best ways to give back to the community and create a happy life for people who are facing difficult times.