Ella, aka @elladaberner
Age: 5
Breed: Bernese Mountain Dog
Job: Therapy Dog
Ella’s owner Sarah Greve had always wanted a dog as a child, but her siblings had severe allergies to pet dander. So when she met her now-husband, who had grown up with Bernese Mountain Dogs, they quickly decided the breed would be their first shared pet. They got Ella five years ago, though Sarah didn’t have plans to pursue the therapy dog route at the time. “I have a background in social work, so I learned what a therapy dog was when I was interning at a pediatric ICU,” she says. “But I didn’t know that was something we would do.” But when Sarah’s son Walt, now 4, was diagnosed with autism at 18 months, she began studying the impact Ella had on him more closely. “She was the only thing he would interact with, look at, touch,” she says. “She has been such a rock for him. I thought, ‘I have to get her therapy dog certified to spread this love.’”
After completing the training, Sarah began taking Ella to volunteer, both at the Westport Library’s Reading to Rover program and at Bridgeport Hospital, where they head every Friday. “We go to pediatrics, oncology, and see hospice patients. Because of her size, when she’s standing, her head rests right on the hospital bed. Patients get to look at her sweet face, rub her ears, and smile, even under the worst circumstances.” The work has turned into the ultimate calling, for both Sarah and Ella. “There’s something that dogs do by being silent and giving that unconditional love, especially in a hospital setting,” she says. “Patients don’t have to tell Ella why they’re in the hospital, or why they’re sick. She is such a comfort. It just warms my heart.”
Brutte and Ambo
Ages: 9
Breed: Belgian Malinois (Brute) and Yellow Labrador (Ambo)
Job: Police Dogs
Brutte, a patrol dog, and Ambo, an explosives detection dog, are the constant companions of Corporal James “Jimmy” Loomer of the Westport Police Department, who has been working in the K9 Unit at the WPD since 2012. “They only patrol with me, and when I’m off, they live with me and my family,” Jimmy tells Westport Lifestyle. When Jimmy is on a shift, the dogs tag along, patrolling, but because the WPD is a small department, Brutte and Ambo often get called in when another officer “needs a nose,” even in neighboring towns like Fairfield. “So that could be tracking someone, or finding explosive or drug odors,” Jimmy explains.
Jimmy did a ten-week training course with his dogs to prep them for the realities of the job: responding to only his commands, getting them comfortable in many types of environments, and learning to detect specific narcotics/explosives odors. “When we first get these dogs, they’re kind of like young boxers,” he says. “They have the genetics. We just have to teach them the techniques.” And once they’re up to speed, they’re an invaluable resource. “There’s no piece of technology that can beat the nose of a dog,” says Jimmy. “And they love to work. For them, it’s a game. Our dogs are play reward dogs, and after [they finish a task], they get either a bite toy or a tug toy. That’s their payment, and that’s what they love best.” (It’s worth noting that community donations cover actual payment for the WPD’s police dogs’ food and vet care; to learn more or donate you can reach out to Cpl. Loomer directly at jloomer@westportct.gov, or make a check payable to “Westport Police K-9 Unit.”) “Dogs are man’s best friend, and there’s an awesome loyalty that comes with them,” says Jimmy. “It’s an honor to be able to be a handler.”
Oakley
Age: 9
Breed: Australian Shepherd/Great Pyrenees mixed breed
Job: Therapy Dog
When Ruth Ayles was looking to adopt a rescue dog eight years ago, she was working for a pet-friendly company, and hoped to find a dog with a temperament that would be compatible with an office environment. Adopted when he was 88 pounds and a year old, Oakley was perfect from minute one. “He got along with all the other dogs, people, and kids,” Ruth says. After seeing how so many were drawn towards him, including toddler-age kids, “I thought: I wonder if he would make a good therapy dog.” So Ruth and Oakley registered as a therapy dog team with Pet Partners (for more on this, see page TK), and he handled everything flawlessly, including tests of obedience, busy situations (at times involving medical equipment), loud noises, and lots of people interacting with him at once.He demonstrated an ease and willingness to engage in the therapy work. As part of the team, Ruth advocates for Oakley during volunteer visits to ensure his comfort and well-being, guides interactions, and makes sure the visit goes safely and smoothly for everyone. Once Oakley officially became a therapy dog, they began volunteering at The Westport Library’s Reading to Rover program, doing wellness programs and crisis therapy at schools including Staples High School and New Canaan High School, and visiting nursing homes. “It’s a really wonderful feeling to be volunteering, giving back to the community, and doing it with your dog,” says Ruth. “I see the connection that Oakley brings to the people we visit, and it’s so rewarding. Many people, particularly elderly, will say ‘I used to have a dog,’ and they really miss that connection with an animal.” It’s the kind of job anyone—human or canine—can’t help but enjoy.
Dogtor Bill
Age: 14 (approx.)
Breed: Beagle
Job: Pediatrician’s Assistant
Dr. Nikki Gorman adopted Bill nine years ago—she was surfing Petfinder and was struck by how much Bill reminded her of her childhood dog Barney. After he came home and she studied his calm, cuddly personality, she started bringing him along to Village Pediatrics, where she has worked for XX years as a pediatrician. “He’s a very mellow soul, and most of the time he’s sleeping under my desk,” Dr. Nikki says. “But he seems to have a sense of when somebody needs him. He knows the patients who love him, and it’s like he smells them–he just noses his way into the room. It’s so cute and they’re always so tickled to see him.” While Bill may not know he’s considered a member of the staff at Village, he loves heading to work. “I actually have another dog who doesn’t come to the office, and when we go on their morning walk, Bill goes to the car and just stops,” says Dr. Nikki. “He’s always happy to go.” And once he’s there, he knows just what to do. “I’ve noticed that if there is anxiety in the room—whether from a parent or a patient—he will come in. He brings a sense of peace.” Bill has even helped some patients who might have a fear of dogs—because he’s older, he can’t jump, and he was adopted with a condition known as “crate teeth,” where he has no front teeth due to being left in a crate for too long and trying to chew his way out, so he physically cannot bite. “He’s never growled in his life. He’s such a gentleman!” Dr. Nikki says. Having a “dogtor” on the team has become one of the best things about Village. “Kids are excited about the prizes, and they love the lollipops, and we like to think they like us,” says Dr. Nikki with a laugh. “But when they see Bill, they just light up.”
Zane
Age: 6
Breed: Mini Goldendoodle
Job: Therapy Dog
Zane is actually Jen Krasnow’s second therapy dog—her first, a 15-year-old medium Goldendoodle named Kako, retired in April after a nine-year career. Therapy dog handling first called to Jen nearly 15 years ago, after her father’s spirits were immesurably lifted from a visit with a therapy German Shepherd while hospitalized. The idea stayed in the back of her mind for years, until, in 2017, she finally decided to sign Kako up for a class at Dog Gone Smart in Norwalk with Pet Partners, a therapy-dog registration organization, to become a therapy-dog handler. “I can’t even tell you how excited I was after that first class,” she says. Over two months, Jen (who was later joined by her daughter) completed the class, and Jen then went through the online exam and in-person evaluation required for therapy dog registration through Pet Partners. Kako soon became a regular at Cambridge Health and Rehabilitation Center, the Westport Library’s Read to Rover program, and Mosaic Senior Living. Just a few years later, during the pandemic, Jen became a licensed evaluator for Pet Partners, helping to create more therapy dog/handler teams and to become a part of the organization that had given her and Kako so much. And then, after Kako’s retirement earlier this year, she got Zane registered, too, and they’ve continued the valuable work she started nearly a decade ago. Zane and Jen now visit new volunteer spots, including St. Vincent’s Behavioral Health and Staples High School. “When you come into a room with an animal that’s calm and gentle, the whole atmosphere changes,” says Jen. She loves how therapy dogs form genuine connections, wordlessly and instantly, with whomever they’re visiting. “The dog is there to see you, and spend time with you. To have a dog that leans into you, or is looking at you, it’s such a positive sensory experience. People are so grateful and appreciative.”