CAPISTRANO BEACH : Paws That Refresh: Pet Therapy

Three unusual therapists walked on all fours into Beverly Manor Convalescent Hospital in Capistrano Beach last week.

The therapists were 4-week-old puppies from the San Clemente Animal Shelter, brought by volunteers as part of a pet therapy-visitation program.

“People come to life when you bring a puppy or a kitten through the door,” said Norma Corish, program director. The animals not only give the elderly residents something fun to look forward to, but also seem to be emotionally therapeutic.

Cuddling the puppies seems to strike a chord in the older person that appears to be more valuable than even human touch, she said.

“It’s amazing what can happen. We’ve gotten responses from people who will not respond to human contact,” she said.

Theresa Morales, 91, patted her lap to get the attention of the volunteers to bring a puppy to her. She giggled and whispered in Spanish to the pup. She wrapped the puppy in a blanket like a baby, kissed it and held it close to her, then motioned for the volunteer to go away.

“Most older people have had animals, so this brings them back in their past to happy times,” Corish said. The residents love to tell stories to the volunteers about pets they have owned in the past, she said.

Corish and the other shelter volunteers take the animals to the rooms of bedridden patients. “Some people can’t move, so we take the person’s hand and stroke the dog or cat with them,” Corish said.

She placed a puppy on the bed of Ralph D’Angelo, 78. Without prompting, the puppy walked up his chest and licked his stubbled chin. Although D’Angelo spoke only Italian, no one in the room needed an interpreter to know that he was pleased.

“The pets appeal to the residents’ senses,” said Nerice Moore, an activities coordinator at Beverly Manor. “Their sense of touch remains very strong.”

Volunteer Carole Blalock said the pets who have been part of the program benefit as much as the residents. She said the puppies generally develop personalities that are warm and loving. “People who adopt these pets are very lucky,” she said.

The San Clemente Animal Shelter takes the stance that all animals are to be cared for until they are adopted.

Corish, 38, a professional dog trainer from Laguna Hills, donates about 20 hours a week coordinating the pet program for the shelter. Pets visit both Beverly Manor and Villa del Obispo Retirement Home in San Juan Capistrano twice a month. Corish added two South County board-and-care homes to the program this month. She said that other retirement centers have requested it but that more volunteers are needed.