Paws of War takes therapy dogs to nursing home

To the Editor:
Dogs can often brighten the day of anyone, providing them with companionship, laughs, and giving them a reason to smile. The senior residents at the Dominican Village Assisted Living Community in Amityville, N.Y., were all smiles on June 15 because the Paws of War organization stopped by with seven therapy dogs to visit with the residents, many of whom are veterans and retired police officers.
“This is going to be a real treat for the residents of Dominican Village,” says Joanne Contegiacomo, director of the dog therapy program at Paws of War, said prior to the program. “Many of these heroes we will be visiting are humble, yet have saved many lives. We want them to know their courage and valor has not been forgotten.”
Paws of War focuses on serving veterans, law enforcement, and first responders. Some of the seniors that the therapy dogs visit are suffering from such conditions as dementia, while others are in good health. Numerous of the veterans that will be visited have been awarded Purple Hearts. Everyone typically gets something beneficial from the time they spend with the dogs. Paws of War is also partnering with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) New York lodge 911 to provide this beneficial service to the assisted living community. The FOP will also have therapy dogs at the event.
The purpose of the visits is to provide the residents with an opportunity to connect with the dogs, have their spirits lifted, and to benefit from the calming, soothing nature that they bring with them. According to the National Institutes of Health, interacting with animals has been shown to decrease stress-related hormones and lower blood pressure. Other studies have shown that interactions help to reduce loneliness, boost your mood, and provide feelings of social support.
Paws of War is an nonprofit organization that provides assistance to military members and their pets, and provides service and service dogs to veterans suffering from PTSD. Our goal is to train and place shelter dogs to serve and provide independence to our United States military veterans that suffer from the emotional effects of war.
To learn more about Paws of War, visit pawsofwar.org.
Cher Murphy
Paws of War