Here’s to our newest group of certified comfort dogs!
Welcome (L-R) Carol Hanscom with “Nala”, Kelly Jo Sunday with “Reggie”, Ansley Pearce with “Irie”, Debra Orr and Philip Miller with “Libby”, Suzanne and George Kay with “Lucy” and Amanda Hahn with “Willie”.
Wishing you all wonderful careers and comfort dog teams!
Many of us are wondering how we can help people down south in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The devastation is beyond our comprehension. Whole towns in the mountain areas and along the major rivers between Greenville, SC and north of Asheville, NC and to the west are gone.
As the floodwaters have receded, aid is beginning to come in to these areas. They are in need of everything, as many of the people there have lost their homes and businesses and some are still stranded up on the mountainsides cut off from help entirely as the roads in and out are washed away or covered with landslides. Pets and livestock were washed downstream or separated from their owners who could not get back to their homes to retrieve them.
CWDF will be helping this relief effort with a special focus on dogs, cats and other pets who are now displaced from their homes, either with their people, or being rescued and brought to area animal shelters. We will be collecting monetary donations over the next few days, and will be going down to South Carolina on Thursday, where we will be able to purchase dog and cat food, litter, water, leashes, poop bags etc. to deliver to the community aid stations and animal shelters in the area. We will spend whatever we raise.
If you would like to help with this effort, please click here to donate
https://cohassetworkingdog.org/donate/
where you can donate via PayPal/card or Venmo. You may also mail a check to The Cohasset Working Dog Foundation PO Box 45, Cohasset MA, 02025.
Thank you for joining us in this effort to get some badly needed supplies to these animals in this area so hard hit by this storm.
Any questions, please reach out to info@cohassetworkingdog.org.
Since 2012, The Cohasset Working Dog Foundation has sponsored therapy dog programs in communities on the South Shore. Called “Canine Ambassadors”, this program is comprised of more than three dozen specially trained volunteer therapy dog teams who regularly visit schools, libraries, senior centers, nursing facilities, hospice and special education programs in the towns of Cohasset, Hull, Hingham, Weymouth, Scituate, Marshfield, Norwell and Duxbury. Every week, our volunteers bring their calm, gentle and loving dogs to visit with and bring cheer to people of all ages in a wide variety of settings.
After receiving a number of requests to send teams to visit with people affected by traumatic events, we recognized a need for additional training in the area of crisis response, stress management and trauma. We understand that the nature of these visits is very different from what our teams are accustomed to. It is a different kind of work for our handlers and for their dogs, and we were determined to give them the training and support needed to make these special types of visits successful.
Over the course of many months, we consulted with first responders, representatives from MEMA, mental health professionals, professional dog trainers and therapy dog handlers with experience in these types of visits, and with their help. created a specialized curriculum. Ten of our most seasoned teams were selected and they were all eager to receive this training.
In the Spring of 2023, CWDF held two days of training with the goal of equipping these teams to respond to incidents of a critical nature. Workshop topics included the Incident Command System, the role of the therapy dog team responding to critical events, identifying and managing secondary post-trauma stress, the psychology of trauma response, engagement techniques and role playing exercises with actors simulating various levels of trauma response.
The “Canine Comfort Crew” of The Cohasset Working Dog Foundation stands ready to respond to incidents of a critical or sensitive nature, and to bring comfort and a furry companion to people of all ages who may be struggling with grief or trauma.
For more information, contact Trish Morse at info@cohassetworkingdog.org.
Mark your calendars for the CWDF Annual Farmers Market Pet Parade! Thursday, September 28th. Rain date: Thursday, October 5th. 2-6 pm on Cohasset Common. Parade begins at 4:45.
Presented by The Cohasset Working Dog Foundation, Gibson Sothebys Realty International, FETCH 02025 and The Soapy Spot!
Pets of all shapes and sizes are invited to don their best costumes and join us for a pet Photo Booth, prizes and giveaways, blessing of the animals, parade around the duck pond and the costume contest.
Don’t miss it!
Complimentary Professional Pet Portraits
beginning at 2:00 pm on the Common
A Commemorative Pet Bandana for every pet
CWDF’s Therapy Dogs featuring Deer Hill School’s “Reading Rovers”
Costumed Pet Parade on the Common starting at 4:30pm
K-9 Erik has retired and has happily joined the rest of the family dogs. Officer Reardon and Cohasset’s new K-9 “Einstein” are now out on patrol together serving the town of Cohasset.
If you participate in a Donor Advised Fund, please use this link for an easy connection and simplified donation process! Thank you for adding The Cohasset Working Dog Foundation to your giving plan!
