“Your purpose is not the thing you do.
It is the thing that happens in others when you do what you do.”
~ Dr. Caroline Leaf, research neuroscientist
The thing that Alex does:
Volunteer therapy dog work.
The thing that happens in others when she does it: Smiles, laughter, joy, love, and feeling connected.
When she’s not working, Alex is on a mission to spread as much of this happiness as possible, especially for those who might need it the most.
She and her golden retrievers have spent hundreds of hours visiting hospitals, schools, universities, rehab centers, assisted living, and cancer clinics.
They’ve even done remote therapy dog work for sick patients thousands of miles away
After every visit, Alex is often left wondering who benefits the most—the people visited, the dogs, or herself. She’s not sure, but she’s certain that the whole event is just one huge circle of love, and nothing feels better than that.
Alex’s dogs have all been certified through Michael’s Angel Paws, an amazing organization that helps train service and therapy dogs.
Sunny (RIP) was in her element and doing the kind of therapy dogging she loved most when she was visiting schools and making the kids smile and giggle.
Glory (RIP) was born to be a therapy dog. She brought so much joy to people in hospitals, assisted living facilities, and corporate conventions.
Hannah (aka Hannah Banana) has the biggest smile and charms everyone she meets. Just 2.5 years old, she has been a therapy dog for patients in cancer centers, hospitals, assisted living, and rehab. Yes, she wore a turkey costume for Thanksgiving, and has been known to dress up for other festive occasions!
Grace just turned 1 year old—the earliest she can take her therapy dog tests. So, she’ll be qualified soon, but she’s already been practicing at assisted living in an unofficial capacity. These pictures were from her very first visit. Do you think she’s going to enjoy being a certified therapy dog?
© 2024, Alex Bratty | All Rights Reserved | alex@alexbratty.com