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A8-The Canadian Champion, Tuesday, October 3, 2006 COMMUN\ITy Canine visitors Iight up seniors' faces By Stephanie Thiessen CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF A n elderly gentleman 15setting )Lj in a wheelchair, staring out -L «Lthe window at a grey parking lot. He looks lonely and bis eyes arR empty What bes tbinkeng, nobody knows and be seldomn expresses. But wben Ducbess the greyhounc walks up to him along -witb ownee Marlene Gallinger, bis face lights up and] bes a changed man. He doesn't say anything, and doesn't need to. Gently, Gallinger takes bis then, [rail hand and places t on Duchess' back, saying softly, -Would yon like Io pet bier? Shes very soit.' For a minute, the years melt awax' Maybe <is man -- one of many resi- dents at Allendale long-teren care centre - remembers the soit fur of a dear pet from years ago, as so many resedents do wben they pet Ducbess. Or nîayîbe its tbe unconditeonal acceptance he sees in Duch'ess' brown eyes tbat brings bim <c)file. Wbatever it s, Ducbess bas just mnade anotber friend. Mission accomplisbed. Belore long, it's time for tbe pair to move on. Popular visitors Gallinger and Ducbess are vtsitors witb St. John Ambulances Tberapy Dog Program. Once each week, tbey vesit tbe resîdents as well as tbe clients at tbe Milton Place and Friends Landing day programs, providing some companion- ship and a cbange in daily routines. Ducbess bas tbe abilety to break tbrougb any language or intellectual bar- niers, Gallinger explaied, sence talkng isn't necessary lfor a mneaningf'ul exehange. Sbe said sbe's cften surprised by rese- dents wbo look as ebcugb <bey don't want to be botbeiecl. Tbat's wben its really exciteng. Sometimes somneone will be siteng in a cbair witb tbeir head down, looking verv deîected and I try to clecide if 1 sbould disturb tbem,' sbe said. "Tbe next ting I know, <bey bave tbeir bead up ancl tbey"re smiling." Carolynne Malinowski, fle enrich- ment co crdnator at Allendale, bas seen Ducbess and the otber dogs in action, and said its bard to put into words tbe bond tbat formns. If's just pure lcove and unconditeonal trust" <bat tbe dogs demonstrate, sbe said. She's seen time and again seniors wbo are otberwîse unresponsive lighit up wben an animal vesîts. Tbeir wbole demeanour cbanges," g sbe said. It Gallinger bas +ad Ducbess, an eeght- g year-old former racing dog, for two e years. Sbe adopted bier rom tbe y Greybottnd ILvers of Hamilton- Wentwortb (GI OHW) program alter servîng as a foster Parent. r Sbe was succ an amnaztng dog, I <use 1kept lier" Gallitiger saed, snîîling. GLI OfW takes ti ex-racing grey- bccouncls froin U.S. tracks ancl fends tbcmn gcTcd homes. l)tcfeess was a race dog jet I bridla in lier former fie, (eallirtger said. Natterai fit Sientietnbets (of the group ertro- cltced (callinger <o tîhe I biiapy l)og rgranî, arecl t seemed leke a rturtttrt î for Ducbess, sfic sai. I wanted to share bier wîtb people. I beres no requitrcd type (Af dlog fAit the programi - ativAne wetb ,t cariec wbo's gentle and sweee is a carndidate. The îîext stop AotA )ttcbess' tour es the twcA adult day prAgranis. judging frEin reactions, you'ttcenk the Dctchess oTf York bad fust wafked into the room as opposed <o l)ucbess the greyhound. The room bas temporarely emupeed, with nearly everyone in the roTom stop- peng wbat tbey're doing <o greet the spotted dog. Ifs Duccess!" votees ring (out. John C ollins stops bis game o! cards to pay the dccg some attention, and com- merets on tlhe importance of tlie pet-vis- teng program. It keeps <hin iout col the cips,- lie saed, referrîng tEX the reseclents aend day program clieetts. Resedents pepper Calnger wtb questtcons abouct D<tchess, "Does she bark?" ' ce asks. Gallitiger said sfic cant tbenk oAf a sitn- gle tene shes barked. Dtîchess' beigbt - sItes knee begb nakes t easy for resedecîts in wlieel- chtairs to eecacb out and pet bier. Aeid tlîey doA - aliii(Tst aillftbemi. Alter abocut an bour of' visetieîg, i<5 tiene fcor Galîtiger tAT take Dtecbess home. [sven tbougb it dcesn't seeiu leke w(rk, Duchess gels tired after a wbile,' she saed. So the pair calîs it a day, leaveing many smeles in their wake.L Stephanie Thiessei can bc reached at sthiessen@niltoncanadianchampion.com. r GRAHAM PAIN[ / CANADIAN CHAMPION vlarlene Gallinger and her eîiht-year-old Greyhounc 'Du chess' vXisit with csenio'r iv-on if r A Allpnri.,l. ( 7VC GEC fCogeco Cable Channel 14 PormiiiSptI-Ti~vOt ' nR~(?A~~ www.cogeco.ca NORTH IIALTON STUDIO Laurier Plaza 500 Laurier Avenue 905-78-9306 8 00am -t 0:0am Plugeeln! iEXTRA 8 Aair ltOtam DiJane Godail i AAPM LivesImm TVo < Celeoe Wndsore 6 APM No- :0 Plugged In' XTRA :fle 1:1Mm [-0-lçae Lrae m 8:0Mm 2:Apm - .TApm Plvgged Ie! 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