HABRI Central

Latest Entries

1. An Environment for Empathy and Empowerment: An Interview with Carol Rathmann of Forget Me Not Farm

   Entry #249

   02 Aug 2016

   12:02 pm

   Katie Carroll

   0 comments

   Founder of Forget Me Not Farm Carol RathmannAfter spending over 20 years as a veterinary technician, Carol Rathmann began working with the Sonoma Humane Society and took an interest in the connection between child and animal abuse.  At the time, she did not see many people using...

2. Galloping Toward Recovery: An Interview with Dave Beck of Cirque Lodge

   Entry #251

   05 Jul 2016

   12:27 pm

   Katie Carroll

   0 comments

   Cirque Lodge Director of Experiential Therapies Dave Beck Many recovering alcoholics and drug addicts feel powerless and shameful.  When they first enter Cirque Lodge, a residential addiction treatment center, they may struggle to open up to other people and often prefer to be alone....

3. A Beneficial Partnership for Everyone Involved: An Interview with Alyson Cox of NEADS

   Entry #250

   02 Jun 2016

   9:00 am

   Katie Carroll

   0 comments

   NEADS Manager of Communications Alyson CoxLike most service and therapy dog organizations, National Education for Assistance Dog Services (NEADS) puts an emphasis on their dogs’ thorough training and ability to perform well after being placed with a handler.  However, unlike most other...

4. A New "PHARM" Hand: An Interview with Jackie Allenbrand of PHARM Dog USA

   Entry #248

   03 May 2016

   3:37 pm

   Katie Carroll

   0 comments

   PHARM Dog USA Founder and Director Jackie AllenbrandWhen a farmer is confronted with an illness or injury, his or her life and farming operation can take a huge hit.  The financial consequences can be huge, but, often, the emotional side effects are most devastating.  Aware of the...

5. Four-Legged Companions and Guardians for Rape Survivors: An Interview with Michael Hosto

   Entry #246

   11 Apr 2016

   9:00 am

   Katie Carroll

   0 comments

   Guardian Therapy Dogs founder Michael HostoOne night when Michael Hosto was 12 years old, someone broke into his family’s St. Louis home and raped his mother.  This event traumatized his family and left his mother feeling helpless and afraid.  After watching his mother spend...

6. Horses and Speech Therapy - The Unexpected Connection: An Interview with Tina Rocco, M.A. CCC-SLP, HPCS

   Entry #244

   01 Mar 2016

   1:39 pm

   Katie Carroll

   0 comments

   Growing up around horses, Tina Rocco, M.A. CCC-SLP, HPCS knew that one day she would love to incorporate the majestic creatures into her career.  While studying speech language pathology at Long Island University, she discovered the perfect way to work with two of her favorite subjects:...

7. Doug the Pug Finds His Niche as a Therapy Dog: An Interview with Cate Archer

   Entry #243

   02 Feb 2016

   10:20 am

   Katie Carroll

   0 comments

   Doug the Pug, the therapy dog, is a little dog who makes a big impact.  With his gentle demeanor and loving nature, Doug can often be found bringing smiles to the faces of children, cuddling with isolated senior citizens, and, most recently, starring in a children’s book that...

8. Incorporation of Aquarium into Special Education Classroom goes Swimmingly: An Interview with Christine Holton

   Entry #240

   12 Jan 2016

   11:23 am

   Katie Carroll

   0 comments

   Two members of Christine Holton’s special education class receive a lot of extra attention from the other students.  These two members of the class help teach the students responsibility, communication, motor skills, and self-control.  However, these class members can usually be...

9. The Squawk about Hen-Keeping in Elderly Care Facilities: An Interview with Douglas Hunter

   Entry #239

   14 Dec 2015

   2:39 pm

   Katie Carroll

   1 comments

   For many centuries, people living in rural areas and on farms have kept laying hens either as a way to get fresh eggs for their families or as a way to make a profit by selling the eggs.  More recently, hen-keeping has become a trendy urban and suburban hobby, with coops popping up in...

10. A Real Win-Win: Saving Dogs and Saving Veterans: An Interview with Susan Hinkle

    Entry #238

    12 Nov 2015

    1:38 pm

    Katie Carroll

    1 comments

    “I find it fascinating how a dog can change a person’s life,” said Susan Hinkle, Founder and Program Director of Missouri Patriot Paws. Missouri Patriot Paws Founder and Program Director Susan HinkleAn Idea Takes Off Before starting Missouri Patriot Paws, an organization that...

11. Using Howls to Empower: An Interview with Giulia Cappelli

    Entry #235

    20 Oct 2015

    12:36 pm

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    When envisioning wolves, the first image that comes to most of people’s minds is one of a large pack perched on a hillside, howling at the moon, or one of a determined, agile creature galloping through the forest in pursuit of his prey.  However, Giulia Cappelli, Lead of Programs and...

12. A 1,200 Pound Therapist and Window to the Mind: An Interview with Hayley Sumner

    Entry #233

    15 Sep 2015

    12:58 pm

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    “You have to earn a horse’s trust by being true, honest, and aware of both the horse and yourself,” said Hayley Sumner, Founder and Executive Director of Berkshire HorseWorks. Berkshire HorseWorks' Founder and Executive Director Hayley SumnerBefore founding Berkshire...

13. Comfort Only a Canine Companion Can Provide: An Interview with Stephanie Perkins

    Entry #229

    04 Aug 2015

    10:46 am

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    Testifying in court is often nerve-wracking and distressing for people.  However, when a child victim is asked to testify about a sexual abuse case, a whole new level of anxiety is present.  Stephanie Perkins of Courthouse Therapy Dogs of the Second Judicial Circuit of Florida believes...

14. A Mirror to the Mind: An Interview with Cynthia Sweeley

    Entry #228

    02 Jul 2015

    9:38 am

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    Cynthia Sweeley of Wildfire Ranch Spiritual Retreat believes that we are currently experiencing the worst epidemic of depression ever seen by mankind.  Socialization no longer has a premium spot in our lives, as the majority of communication occurs via the Internet and across computer or...

15. More than Just Dogs and Horses, Unique Animals Have a Place in the Animal Therapy World: An Interview with Lori Gregory

    Entry #227

    05 Jun 2015

    3:18 pm

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    When most people think of a therapy animal, the first thing that comes to mind is a furry dog with gentle brown eyes, resting his head on the knee of a young children’s hospital patient.  However, when Lori Gregory and her daughter, Shannon Hendrickson, of Mtn Peaks Therapy Llamas and...

16. Pet Therapy Takes Flight: An Interview with Heidi Huebner

    Entry #209

    04 May 2015

    2:48 pm

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    Between flight delays and cancellations, lost luggage, and jet lag, traveling by airplane can be quite stressful.  Airports tend to be filled with nonstop commotion and many anxious people, but, thanks to Heidi Huebner and the Pets Unstressing Passengers (PUP) program, travelers at Los...

17. A Four-Legged Fitness Partner: An Interview with Lea Lynch

    Entry #208

    12 Apr 2015

    11:08 am

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    Workout partners are commonly seen in the fitness world.  Young moms who walk the school track together while their children are at soccer practice, women who pair up for a yoga class or Zumba, and “gym rats” who lift weights together every morning at dawn all rely upon others to...

18. Educating Young People to Change Lives and Protect Animals: An Interview with Debra Corbett

    Entry #205

    16 Mar 2015

    12:43 am

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    Thinking back on our interactions with animals during our time as students, some of us remember a hamster incessantly running on the wheel in his cage in the corner of the classroom or maybe even a trio of goldfish that swam in a fishbowl perched on the windowsill.  However, if you were in...

19. The Dentist with the Dog: An Interview with Paul Weiss, DDS

    Entry #204

    13 Feb 2015

    11:58 am

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    As a pediatric dentist, Paul Weiss, DDS is very aware of the importance of oral health and visiting a dentist from a young age, but he also understands the dental phobia or fear that can overcome a child when undergoing a dental procedure.  This is where Weiss’ Golden Retriever,...

20. Bringing a Smile to Faces in the Most Unlikely of Places: An Interview with Randy Grimes

    Entry #203

    16 Jan 2015

    12:01 pm

    Katie Carroll

    0 comments

    Anyone who has ever attended a funeral or set foot inside a funeral home is aware of the grief that overcomes people after the loss of a loved one.  But, imagine walking into a funeral home, saddened by the death of a dear family member or friend, and being greeted by a 63-pound,...