Previous Team Spotlights

Alison and Juniper

Juniper is an extrovert, and has always loved people and attention ever since she was a puppy! However,  I waited until she outgrew her exuberant puppy energy before becoming an ATD certified therapy dog team and joining F.E.T.C.H. in 2019.   

Juniper especially loves kids, so we've gone on visits to local schools, a pediatric dentist's office, as well as events at the University of Oregon.  It gives me great pleasure see how much joy she brings people. 

Lyllian and Emmi

I wrote my thesis in college on the use of Pets as an Occupational Therapy Treatment Modality and always wanted to have a therapy dog. It just wasn’t right for my first two dogs but finally, when I adopted Emmi, I had a dog who I knew had the temperament to be a therapy dog and who would enjoy it. It was a long road to get there as Emmi was very active and didn’t know how to calm herself and had missed out on training as a young pup but we worked hard and in 2021, we became a certified Therapy Dog Team with F.E.T.C.H.

Emmi is really good at being a therapy dog and loves it. She seems to know exactly what each person needs whether it just be a quick pet or for her to lean on them or to just look at them and listen. She enjoys working with everyone: elderly and disabled adults, children, college students, travelers. She has several people who wait for her monthly visit at one of our local care facilities and has loved spending time with students at LCC and U of O but I think her favorite visits are the Airport. She seems to just know who needs her and will seek them out. She really puts her all into her work and will sleep all afternoon after a therapy shift.

Barb and Maya

Maya was born in January 2020. From the beginning she was brave and loved to be with people, and she became a therapy dog as soon as she was old enough. Maya loves to spend time with kids and young adults, and we like to visit at the UO campus, the Music School, elementary schools, and the Eugene airport.


Ruth, Virginia and Henry

 I started doing pet therapy when I retired from employment in social services.   Walter (a long haired Dashound) was my first dog for pet therapy, and he opened many doors.  At RiverBend Hospital Wednesday was designated “Walter Wednesday” and his legacy continues with Henry.

Currently the dogs and I volunteer at the VA Clinic, RiverBend Hospital, Eugene Airport, and The Springs Living retirement community.  My partners (Henry, a wire-haired Dashound, and Virginia, a chocolate Labrador) thoroughly love serving our community. It is so fun to dress them up—you never know what they are going to wear.   Virginia often enters being very vocal expressing how excited she is to be there.   Henry seems to warms everyone’s heart with his cuteness and sweet temperament.