Regional Area: North Central
Breed: Golden Retriever
Zeus has an enviable zest for life!
Zeus and Kimberly presently visit various assisted living facilities in their area. The team is authorized, as well, to go into UF Health, The Villages, where affable Zeus is a member of the auxiliary volunteers, enabling him to visit both the staff and the patients. Kimberly notes that the staff visits are particularly rewarding because they, too, crave the TLC dogs like Zeus provide.
At every visit the residents absolutely light up the moment they see the dogs. They not only love petting them and talking to them, they also love regaling the dogs’ handlers with tender recollections and sweet memories of their own pets.
When not sporting his therapy vest, Zeus enjoys “cruising” the neighborhood in his mom Kimberly’s golf cart, where this Golden with the gloriously wide and warm smile, is very popular among the neighbors. Not to mention how much he loves vacations.
Kimberly admits that the way Zeus uses his eyes and his eyebrows pulls at her heartstrings. He sees into her heart, she sighs, and his love is unconditional. What she finds especially endearing though, is how, at the end of their visits, Zeus takes his leash in his mouth and heads to the door! Not surprisingly, the residents love it.
Therapy dogs like Zeus, she notes, possess the unique ability to pick out a person in dire need of love, comfort and affirmation. If there’s an open chair next to that person, Zeus will promptly jump up and take it.
As for this team’s future: Kimberly hopes that she and Zeus can start visiting nearby schools and interacting more with the youth of the area.
Training/Certifications
Hearts of Gold Therapy Team
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