Fundraising Caring Canines Calendar 2010 Calendar Calendar Entries Tripod, Heritage Center | Tripod, Heritage Center |
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Hi! My name is "Tripod". Can you guess why?
 Tripod, Heritage Center Tripod is a 6 year old Boston Terrier mix. She only has 3 legs as result of being hit by a car when she was younger. The owners couldn't afford to have the necessary surgery so a kind hearted lady took her and had the surgery performed. Several months later the new owner had to move and couldn't take her so she placed little Tripod with Carol Peters, Recreation Director at Heritage Center Nursing & Rehabilitation, in Huntington, WV. Carol brings Tripod, "Pod" for short, to work with her several times a month. She visits in the rehab gym where residents are working on their physical, occupational and speech therapies. Her presence encourages them to reach out and pet her, hold her or talk to her; enhancing their therapy workout. She also visits the nursing home unit where she gets lots of pets and hugs. The residents have been heard to say "she has a handicap like us" or "she reminds me of a little dog I once had." Staff have commented that residents who are non-verbal or minimally responsive will smile and reach to pet Tripod and sometimes residents will call Tripod the name of a dog they once owned. The staff often notice increased responses from some residents- like smiles, laughter and reminiscing when Tripod is around. Two years ago, little Tripod was attacked by another dog resulting in a fracture of her only front leg but she learned to get around on her casted leg until the leg healed and she quickly got back to her work in the center. Submitted by: Tonja Parsons, BSN RN Legal Nurse Consultant Charleston, WV |
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