MERIDEN — A small plastic bag filled with dog treats was on Aurore
Lagace’s kitchen table Tuesday morning and right below the table sat Sonny, a
very patient 4-year-old Golden Retriever with his eyes locked on the snacks.
Very gently, Lagace pulled two small treats from the bag to present to
Sonny, but before she could even pull them completely from the bag Sonny had
already snagged both the treats from Lagace’s hand and ate them.
“Oh my, you got both of them,” said Lagace laughing as she stroked
Sonny’s head. “Oh dear, now one more.”
Lagace reached into the bag once again and gave Sonny another treat.
This time he waited for Lagace to feed him the snack.
“That’s it, that’s it. Oh my goodness,” she said, still laughing and
rubbing Sonny. “Oh, that’s it. No more, no more.”
Sonny is a certified therapy dog registered with Pet Partners Therapy
and works alongside his owner, Sharon D’Aquila, the president of Assisted
Living Services on Broad Street in Meriden.
Assisted Living Services provides home care to thousands of seniors and
those with disabilities throughout the state with personal care assistants,
live-in aides, and homemakers.
They were visiting with Lagace, who is one of D’Aquila’s clients. Lagace
has been seeing Sonny since he was a puppy nearly four years ago. Lagace looks
forward to the visits and said that she “loves Sonny” and he brings her good
company.
Sonny started training in a puppy class, then took an obedience class
before finally going through therapy training for eight weeks. He is evaluated
every two years, D’Aquila said.
Clients of D’Aquila’s can request Sonny to come to their visits. She
typically sees about six clients a month with Sonny, not including the people
who greet and pet him at the nursing homes D’Aquila goes to.
There are many health benefits with animal therapy, explained D’Aquila.
Many clients take walks with Sonny and having him around helps decrease their
anxiety depression, or feeling of loneliness.
The positivity of Sonny’s
presence rubs off on her clients, she said.
“It’s a bonus to bring him out with a client,” said D’Aquila. “It lowers
their blood pressure.”
Sonny sees patients with dementia, who have suffered a stroke, and
others with disabilities.
D’Aquila said one of her clients who had a stroke visits with Sonny and
when they are together D’Aquila said “her face lights up” and she starts
walking faster to see him. Another client sings to him.
Every time D’Aquila sees a client with Sonny, she leaves a card with a
picture of Sonny with them. The card is from Sonny and says “thank you for
having me visit today. Looking forward to another soon.”
For Lagace, those cards make her happy and she said she keeps them every
time Sonny visits with her.
Tuesday afternoon Lagace was all smiles with D’Aquila as they sat around
her kitchen table and enjoyed the dog.
“Come on, honey. Over here,” said Lagace as she called for Sonny who
scooted up next to her chair. “OK, lovey. Aw, you’re a good boy.”
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