A therapy dog in London, Ont., is marking a major milestone after making 1,000 visits through the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program.
For owner Jenny Hauser, the dog’s name, Mulligan, carries special meaning.
A mulligan is a second chance or fresh start, “It was in my 40s when I got my first dog. She was a therapy dog as well, and when she passed away, we got Mulligan,” said Hauser.
Mulligan’s 1,000th visit was celebrated Wednesday at Ronald McDonald House in London, a location where many of the dog’s visits have taken place.
“This is Mulligan’s 1,000th visit,” said Hauser. “A lot of the visits have been at Ronald McDonald House, so that’s why we chose here to do the celebration.”
Through the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program, Mulligan provides comfort and companionship to families staying at the house while their children receive medical care.
“You can just imagine, after a stressful day, or for people who have had dogs in the past and can’t have them anymore, how important it is to have that love and care,” said Lynn Loubert, a dog coordinator with the program. “And that unconditional attention.”
Families staying at the home say therapy dogs are a welcome distraction.
“They’re so cute. They’re so much fun. They’re so fluffy,” said Amelia, Ryan and Rosalie Rouselle.
According to program volunteers, Mulligan is the first therapy dog in southwestern Ontario to reach the 1,000-visit milestone and has interacted with more than 112,000 people.
“Mulligan is just that type of dog that wants to greet everybody, love everybody,” Hauser said. “He just has that demeanour and personality trait that is full of love.”
Volunteers said the therapy dog program began 32 years ago and currently includes 62 dogs serving communities across the region.
“We really reduce the stress of so many of our participants,” said Loubert. “It’s just a fabulous experience for us, for them and for the dogs.”
