Special Tree

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Furry Friends Bring Joy to Patients

These days, the Special Tree is really going to the dogs and that’s making clients in the Day Treatment Services program feel pretty good. 
It’s actually three dogs in particular that caused Day Treatment Services clients and staff to break out in perma-grins on Friday, January 4, 2013 when they visited clients in the gym.  Moose, Jordon, and Angel – along with their owners – are pet therapy volunteers with a special mission:  to bring joy and comfort to clients.

Therapy dogs have visited Special Tree clients for years, but the DTS program has arranged for the dogs to come in for an hour every Friday morning.  Angela Croci, Day Treatment Services Manager, Oakland, “interviewed” the dogs over the holidays to make sure they were a good fit with clients.  Moose (a golden retriever), Jordan (a black Lab), and Angel (a golden doodle) have all had special training and passed numerous tests to become certified therapy dogs.\

“The dogs really made everyone’s day,” said DTS staff LaKeya Berry.