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Therapy Dog Eases Tennessee Tornado Anxieties
Written by Ellen Scarborough, Special to RedCross.org
Jackson, Tennessee, May 19, 2003 —
Students from Crockett Middle School in Jackson, Tn. didn't know when they began collecting money for the Jackson Humane Society that their contribution would earn them the privilege of meeting a celebrity. Nor that their money would help support an important function of the relief effort following Jackson's recent tornado.
Frank Shane and his therapy dog Nike are working with tornado victims in Tennessee.
Photo Courtesy of Lucy Popova
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The celebrity is a 9-year-old, 120 pound Golden Retriever named Nike. The gentle animal with soulful eyes is trained with his handler in therapy with troubled people. His work has earned him coverage in major publications including The Washington Post and National Geographic. A new book, "Hero Dogs: Courageous Canines in Action," published by Little Brown, features him on the cover.
Nike has been working most of his life, said his owner and trainer, Frank Shane. His job is to re-open communications with people who have withdrawn due to prolonged illness, senility or emotional trauma.
"He provides an emotional bridge," Shane said. "He doesn't know about the tornado or other things that create pain. But he knows how to interact with people."
Shane, whose home is in Upper Montclair, NJ, is executive director of a non-profit organization called K-9 Disaster Relief. For him, the association with therapy dogs goes back at least 10 years before Nike was born - when Shane was master of another Golden Retriever.
Shane's brother died of lung cancer, and he wanted to do something to help other cancer patients, especially children. He found that patients of all ages related more quickly to the dog than to him. He's been at it ever since, and when Nike came along he joined the effort. Working in hospitals and nursing homes is an effective stepping stone to disaster work, Shane found.
Nike's (and Shane's) credits include nine months at the World Trade Center after the devastating events of Sept. 11, 2001, with a short time out to respond to the American Airlines crash of Flight 587 at nearby Rockaway in Queens.
They also have responded to such recent events as the Rhode Island nightclub fire, the sniper shootings in the District of Columbia area, and to NASA after the loss of the space shuttle Columbia. In Jackson, the man/dog duo have worked closely with the Humane Society and with the American Red Cross.
Call the Red Cross Hotline
1-866-GET-INFO, for:
Shelter locations
Assistance Programs
Information on Affected Areas
Disaster Safety and Preparedness Information
Or call 1-800-HELP NOW to make a donation
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When a disaster occurs, Red Cross immediately opens shelters to temporarily house those in need of safety and security. Because of liability, possible allergies of shelter residents, dueling dogs and other issues, animals can't be accommodated at the shelters.
Red Cross routinely teams with other agencies to shelter displaced domestic pets during emergencies. In Jackson, the Humane Society, opened its doors after the tornado, helped along by foster caretakers and veterinarians when the normal population of about 160 animals jumped by almost 25 percent, said Jennie Krueger, the animal shelter's manager. They're still working to re-unite pets with their owners.
Also in Jackson, each year members of Crockett Middle School's student council and 8th grade Beta Club join in a fundraiser to benefit the community. This year they decided on the Humane Society. And after the tornado struck here on May 4, their support was needed even more.
Tuesday morning, these students, accompanied by school officials Stacy Puffer and Amy Speight, bused over to West Jackson Baptist Church, where Red Cross operates a shelter and (in cooperation with Southern Baptists) a kitchen. Nike, wearing his working vest, met with the students in the parking lot and posed obediently while Shane explained the training and responsibilities of therapy dogs. The students handed over their collection of coins and bills, and when it came up $10 short of a hundred, Shane took out his wallet and pitched in that amount to make it even. Without the financial support of caring people, none of these agencies could operate.
It was a classic example of agencies working together for the common good.
You can help the Red Cross continue to assist tornado victims in Tennessee and across the U.S. by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need.
Current relief services are stretched and depleting the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. This fund is not a reserve; it is a working fund that needs continued replenishment when disaster strikes. As this tornado season continues and hurricane season approaches, one large storm could deplete the balance of the fund completely. A comfortable threshold for the fund is $56 million.
You can make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013.
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All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. The Red Cross also supplies nearly half of the nation's lifesaving blood. This, too, is made possible by generous voluntary donations. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to those in need. You can make a secure online credit card donation or call 1-800-HELP NOW (1-800-435-7669) or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Or you may send your donation to your local Red Cross or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, D.C. 20013. To donate blood, please call 1-800-GIVE-LIFE (1-800-448-3543), or contact your local Red Cross to find out about upcoming blood drives.
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