“Pet-Loving Therapy in the Neighborhood”

Presenter: Ruth Olsen (& Rascal, Therapy Dog)
National Program Educator for Pet Partners

Monday, August 15
7:00 PM
Room 101

The congregation (including children and youth) and guests are invited to this program to meet both Ruth and Rascal, as well as receive his “business card.”

Ruth was born in New York and got her first dog in 1963. She had several dogs but trained her first “Pet Partners” therapy dog in 2007. Since then she has held several titles as a volunteer with this national organization that promotes the benefits of animal-assisted therapy, activities and education.

Moving to Georgetown in 2009, Ruth became a dog trainer and in 2010 a Pet Partners workshop instructor. She had two dogs, Bella and Maggie, which visited nursing homes, hospitals, schools and other places.

After becoming a national educator in 2017, Ruth traveled across the U.S. training other educators. That year she lost both Maggie and Bella and adopted her current teammate, Rascal, from a local shelter when he was 5½ years old.

She will discuss the difference between “therapy” and “service support” animals and talk about what she and Rascal do as a therapy team when they visit. She also will discuss what it takes to become a therapy dog and will share Rascal’s training journey.

The program is sponsored by FPC’s Stephen Ministry.