We have a "Cheer Up Pup Club" where we like to share our dogs, our love, and a smile by providing volunteer virtual video therapy dog visits by way of FaceTime, or the ZOOM application. We are doing this rather than in-person visits, due to social distancing amid the Covid-19 Pandemic. Most of our dogs and puppies are dressed up in fun costumes or fun clothing, hats and sunglasses, or for the holidays during the visits. These dogs or puppies are in our training program to become certified therapy dogs, or are already certified therapy dogs. We feel we are here to improve life-one smile at a time! 

With the social isolation we are seeing many adults and children that are dealing with loneliness and depression and the "Cheer Up Pup Club" is here to help them to feel better when the outside world is so distressing.

For the children, we may do this by just visiting, or by reading an upbeat, age-appropriate short story about a dog while interacting with the therapy dog. For adults, we may visit, read an article from Chicken Soup for the Soul's book- "The Magic of Dogs" or play a quick game of dog trivia. It is all up to the person that is on the video visit.

"I want the person that has had the virtual therapy dog visit to leave the visit realizing, there is still good to be found out here, and to have a small moment of time that they are able to forget about the negative things that are going on around them, and be able to focus on the positive moment at hand." I want them to enjoy the visit, enjoy the dog, and go away with some lasting cheer that will hopefully bring them an unforgetable  "pick-me-up moment" that leaves them with a smile."-Tya

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