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Page 1 of 3 MEET OUR PET VOLUNTEERS
Hi! My name is Bear.
I am a black Chow. When my "mom" found me, I had a wire clothes line wrapped around my throat. Someone had tied it so tight, that it took my owner and her dad over an hour to get it off of me. I had been used as target practice. Someone had shot me with a pellet gun. But, now I'm healed, and I have a home with my mom, Shari, and my "brothers" Tamu and Reveille. Picture of Bear
My favorite people to visit are the kids at Devereux Hospital in League City. While the other dogs chase tennis balls and frisbees, I like to find a nice quiet corner and cuddle with the kids. I am only 45 lbs., and small enough that I can sit in their laps. My hair (now that it has grown back) is soft and fluffy, and the kids love to run their fingers through it. I have been known to lick the back of their necks as they held me like a "teddy bear".
My mom tells people that God brought me into this program because I could relate to the children who have also had a tough time in life. I think God gave me a second chance at life so I could feel loved as well as give it.
Hi! My name is Casey.
This is me with my mom and dad. My dad is a full-time chaplain, but, you know what? I am a full-time minister too!
I visit at Southeast Memorial Hospital where my mom is the team lead. I work with patients who have had strokes or who have had major operations, such as hip replacements or knee replacements. The physical therapist, John, goes with us to each patient and records how each patient is responding to our visits.
I am a Bouvier (pronounced Boo-V-A). I am so tall that it is easy for people to reach me from the hospital bed. A lot of the patients comment about how big I am. But, I am also very, very gentle. Many people have not seen a dog like me!
My dad has taught the other Faithful Friends volunteers how to minister specifically to people who are facing terminal illnesses or people who have family members who are facing terminal illnesses. The training was called "Ministry of Presence". Everyone was very interested and had many questions to ask my dad. It was really a good training session for all of us. By the way, I got to help with the training session!!!
Hi! My name is Cody.
I am an Australian Shepherd. I have a very thick coat. That makes people want to stroke my hair - and I like that! I like to visit at nursing homes and other facilities where the people like to have lots of one-on-one interaction. I visit with my mom and her daughter (my human sister). Sometimes it is hard to tell whether the people like a visit from me or my human sister better!
I like visiting with people who have a special need. You see, I have a special need too. I cannot hear very well. But, that doesn't stop me from wanting to go on a visit. I love getting to be with the people I visit. I like getting treats from them too!
Hi! My name is Copper.
Being a part of the Faithful Friends ministry is really a family event for us. This is me with my family. From left to right, Bernie, Donna (who is holding me) and Barbara. We all go on visits together. We like to visit several places. We took this picture while we were visiting Clear Lake Regional Hospital. We also like to participate in the Faithful Friends special events - such as the annual dog wash.
My mom is also the Crafts Coordinator. That means that we make sure that all the people that we visit have special little "gifts" for Christmas and other occassions during the year.
Hi! My name is Cuddles.
Well, actually, my full name is Cuddles Sweet Patutie Lu, but everyone just calls me Cuddles. I visit with my mom and my brother, Rudy. I am a Boston Terrier. I am very small, but I pack a lot of energy into my tiny little body. My favorite thing to do is to dance for people. They hold a treat up in the air, and I dance around until they give me the treat. It works every time! This is me in my 4th of July costume.
I have a very big tongue and I'm very good at using it to give people "kisses". I like to kiss all people - little kids and adults too. I like to surprise them and give them a nice big kiss when they LEAST expect it! I'm so quick that they don't get the chance to say "no".
Hi! My name is Emma.
This is me with my mom and dad. I am one of the larger dogs in the program. I am a mix between a St. Bernard and a Newfoundland.
I visit at Devereux Hospital and play with the kids. Actually, the Texas heat is usually so hot that I end up sitting with the kids and letting them hug and pet me. My coat is very soft and I am so big that the kids love to just wrap their arms around me. My mom and dad bring plenty of water for me to drink, and they also bring a towel to help keep me from drueling too much after my drink.
Hi! My name is Kirby.
 
I am a Yellow Labrador Retriever. My hair (and my mom’s hair, too) are more gray than this photo of me that was taken a few years ago in my younger days. Even though I am one of the older dogs participating in the program, each visit makes me feel young again. Picture of KirbyThe excitement of a car ride, going to new places, seeing other friendly dogs, and MOST of all visiting with the wonderful, loving patients rejuvenates me to the energy of my youth.
I especially love to visit with the patients at Devereux hospital. They brush me, walk me, hug me, pet me, and play with me. Some of them hold me like a lap dog - which I think I am even though I weigh 65 pounds ! On top of all of that, they give me treats which I devour.
A very touching visit took place on Valentine’s day when I gave a teenage girl lots of kisses and she told me that she thought she was going to have a really bad Valentine’s day until we came to visit her. Picture of Kirby Little did she know what a special Valentine’s day we enjoyed just because of her.
A favorite activity of mine is swimming. I could swim for hours and hours if Mom let me. Unfortunately, Mom makes me stop swimming eventually and makes me take a bath after I swim. Somehow, the water that I swim in to retrieve the tennis ball and the water that comes with shampoo are just not the same to me. I much prefer the water with the tennis ball to the water with the shampoo. After I have a bath everyone says how good I smell and how soft I feel and they love to rub me, so I guess it is not so bad and not too high of a price to pay for getting to swim.
Through His marvelously wonderful, creative, and caring ways, God arranged for Mom and me to participate in Faithful Friends. It is one of God’s great blessings that He has given us.
Photo is courtesy of Kathy Coke.
Hi! Our names are Katie and Bear
We are Tibetan Spaniels. Legend has it that, in Tibet, these little dogs were used to turn the monk's parchment covered prayer wheel.
Bear will be 10 on Christmas day, 2000...he is our Christmas gift, and Katie is soon to be eight years old. They have been "Faithful Friends" visitors for almost two years and bring a smile, and sometimes a tear, to the older residents of Gulf Healthcare in Texas City.
Bear is more aggressive with his friendly mannerisms, Katie is inclined to be more reserved. They both go "bananas" when the blue neckerchiefs are brought out. Their owner, June Phillips says "I have a singing dog all the way to the nursing home....and a sleeper on the homeward trip."
Hi! My name is Lexi.
My name is Lexi. I do NOT like water but when Mom says "want to go see the kids at Devereux?", I'm there!! ... at the edge of the tub waiting for Mom to help me in. I LOVE those kids. What's really neat is that they mostly always need their faces washed. Sometimes they only need a grin and a full-body wag ... I can do that! I prefer to wash faces but, hey, whatever the kids want I will TRY to accommodate them.
Hi! My name is Reveille.
 
Reveille in Costume I am part Collie and part Shepherd. That makes me one of only a few of the mixed breed dogs in the Faithful Friends program. I am named after the mascot of the school my "mom", Shari, attended - Texas A&M University. I was the first dog in our family to be involved in therapy work.
These pictures are of me and my foster mom, Beryl. In our Faithful Friends program, each human can only take 1 pet on a visit. Beryl is my mom on all my visits at the Harbourview Care Center and Devereux Hospital, which are both located in League City. She lives just down the street from me, so I sometimes get to see her when I go for my walks too.
I am not real excited about chasing little green tennis balls (they don't taste very good) or frisbees either. But I really like getting to go for walks with the kids at Devereux. And I always remember the nice men and women at Harbourview that give me treats when we visit there. As you can see from my picture, I really like to eat. The people at Harbourview always comment on how well fed I look!
Hi! My name is Rudy.
Rudy, a Chinese pug, has been visiting with Faithful Friends since he was 3 months old. As you can see by the way he is leaning up against this nice lady he is very calm and comfortable wherever he is.
One of the first times Rudy went on a visit to a nursing home, he went into a man's room who wasn't able to talk to us. The man reached out for the puppy and wanted him to get in his bed with him. Rudy snuggled down next to him and the man hugged and petted Rudy for a long time. This was one of the visits when we took pictures of people with our pets. The next time we went, copies of the pictures were taken back to give to those we visited. But, we couldn't give Rudy's new friend his picture. He had passed away soon after our visit with him. When we asked the nurses if they could give the picture to his family, we were told that he had no one. Rudy was all he had. He felt God's love during that special time while he was hugging Rudy. This may hvae been during the last moments of his life.
Hi! My name is Rusty.
Rusty, the Animal Assisted Therapy dog ended up getting a lot more than he’d expected for from Faithful Friends. Rusty joined in summer 2008 and started as a regular at the Deveraux Center (adolescent psychiatric therapy). He loves the kids, and they love him right back. During his January visit, one of the kids noticed he’d lost a tooth and mentioned to me (Rusty’s Mom). When we went to the vet the next day, it turns out Rusty had cancer! But since we’d caught it so early, it should be very curable. Rusty has had 6 teeth and some jaw bone removed, but he looks great, and should be cancer free (next check up in a week or so). Bottom line, the vet says that if we hadn’t caught it so early, Rusty would likely have died (it was a very aggressive form of cancer). Being a “Faithful Friend” looks like it may have saved Rusty’s life! Thank – you Faithful Friends, and Thank – you Deveraux Center kids!
Rusty’s Mom (Beth)
Hi! My name is Sable.
I'm a Samoyed. My solid white coat gets me a lot of attention. I can dress up as "Mrs. Claus" at Christmas! Picture of SableMy mom spends a lot of time getting me ready for a visit so that my hair will be nice and soft. I let people rub their hands all through my coat. One time, a lady kissed me on the muzzle. She left a red lipstick stain on my white nose!
One of my most memorable visits was to a hospital. There was a young man there who had just been in a jet ski accident and lost both his legs. Several of us were on that visit that night. I remember the man totalling ignoring all of us (which was understandable). He had a radio headset on as if he wanted to tune the whole world out. My mom and I came back to his room twice that night. On the second time back to his room, he reached down and acknowledged me! He didn't pay my mom much attention, but he acknowledged and smiled as he petted me! That was a very big step for that young man that night - I felt. And, I doubt a human would have been able to get him to take that first step!
There was an elderly man at the hospital. I didn't realize this at the time, but he was about to get out of the hospital after a long stay. He sat outside his room just admiring me. He smiled, talked to me and my mom, and petted me a lot (which I loved!). We visited with him for probably a good 20-30 minutes it seems. We found out later that about 2 weeks after his release, the man called the hospital and wanted to thank us for making such a big difference in his life by visiting him. He specifically mentioned my name and said "the Samoyed" (I'm the only Samoyed that visits that hospital!). That's one of those visits where you know the patient is enjoying his visit at the time, but you just don't realize what a profound difference it made to them.
Hi! My name is Sophie and this is my brother Sam.
 
My name is Sophie. I am the cute little one in the picture. The big, handsome guy is my brother Sam.
Picture of Linda, Sophie & Sam I am a four year old Chihuahua, and my mom and I have been visiting with Faithful Friends since May 1999. Sam, a Besenji, has been with us since October 1999. Mom found him at a Petco near our home. Someone had tied him to a light pole with a sign that read "Free to Good Home". He visits sometimes, but he is really a pretty shy guy. I, on the other hand, am a regular social butterfly.
I think I like visiting Devereux Hospital the best. I love it when the kids let me give them lots of kisses! My mom doesn’t know what part of me is going faster – my tongue or my tail!
Mom and I also like to visit at South East Memorial Hospital. The therapist, John, is so funny. He makes the patients laugh a lot.
From the canine point of view, visiting with Faithful Friends is a wonderful experience. If you are a friendly, well-behaved pet and own a friendly, well-behaved human, you should consider becoming a member. I know the animals have a great time. I guess the humans do too, but I really think their only purpose is to provide transportation and treats!
Hi! My name is Tamu.
I'm a Siberian Husky. I am named after my mom's school - Texas A&M University (TAMU). I like pulling things. My mom, Shari, has a special harness attached to her bicycle. I can pull her all around the neighborhood. At my home, I'm the Alpha dog. I rule over my mom Shari, and my "brothers" Reveille and Bear. Siberian Husky
As much as I like to romp through the house, when my mom puts my bandana around my neck, I know that I'm going to "work". I walk through the doors of the nursing home, and I know that I have to be on my best behavior. I am just the right height that folks in wheelchairs can stroke my hair. And they love for me to kiss them (which I am really good at doing). They always put their cheek next to me and say "Give me a kiss" - so I do!
My mom and I used to go to dog shows several years ago. We thought it would be something we could do together. But, visiting with people - that's a lot more fun! I really like going on my visits. Every time mom pulls out my bandana, I run to the door because I know that means that I'm going to get to visit with people.
Hi! My name is Tippy.
I am a Beagle, and a perfect size for sitting in people's laps or laying beside them in their beds. I visit with my mom Picture of Tippy(shown in the picture with me) and also with Jenna. Jenna has been visiting with me since she was in elementary school, and is one of the teenagers that enjoys being a part of Faithful Friends. Jenna helps me get ready for my visits by giving me my bath, and getting me "dressed". Jenna dresses up in costumes that match mine, and we bring a lot of smiles to people's faces.
I'm very well known for my ability to find even the smallest snack crumbs on a resident's lap. When they feed me treats, I am very careful to take it gently from their fingers with my "soft" mouth. I'm small enough that I can curl up on Grandma Jones' bed. One lady that I visited told me that my ears felt like the velvet in her party dress. Another lady said that she had a shepherd dog that looked like me when she was a child. The men that I visit at the nursing home call me "their hunting dog"!
Hi! My name is Toots.
I'm a 13-year old mixed border collie. My "mom" and I recently visited our Aunt Florence who resides at the Towers Nursing Home in Smithville, Texas. Picture of TootsThey were so nice to us - even clapped for us when we came into the main lounging area! They took picture after picture and really made a fuss over me. I didn't get those wonderful belly rubs like the boys at Devereux Treatment Center (where I make my usual visits) give me, but I got lots of soft pats and soft, kind words. Of course, I gave out lots of kisses to outstretched hands.
They even put me on my Aunt's bed where we sniffed each other's nose and they took more pictures of me! Gee, I wish my "mom and dad" would let me get in THEIR bed. Aunt Florence fed me too much - or at least according to my "mom". I like Aunt Florence!
The friendly folks there would love me to come back and visit, and bring all my Faithful Friends with me. So we are putting together a road trip for several of my Faithful Friends buddies to go back to Smithville with me. We are even going to stop at some roadside parks along the way so that we can run and play!
Hope to see you soon!
Love, Toots
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