Therapy dog work in Illinois tornado disaster area

[SS427]

I am posting this in the hopes that someone out there who reads this might have the right contacts to get us in as so far all of our efforts have gone unheard. I am not trying to pimp him out.....ok.......yes I am but for good reason.

We have a 6 year old English Mastiff named "Hollywood" who we have spent thousands of dollars on an about 4 years of training to be a therapy dog. He currently visits hospitals, nursing homes, homes for the blind, the psych ward, Children's Grief Camp, hospice, etc, etc and has become somewhat of a local celebrity and is frequently asked to attend events around the central part of the state. He has been on TV and the news paper numerous times for his work. We also dress in costume for most of the Holidays and make our rounds in our city.

With the resent tornado devastation in Illinois and other areas we have tried in vein to bring him to those areas to provide the victims (and relief workers) with a little therapy relief. In addition we have a full truckload of clothes for those victims. So far all we keep getting is "thanks but no thanks" for both the dog and the clothes. These organizations are all over the news begging for help but turn us and others down every time we try. Not just at this disaster but many before it. Everyone we have called keeps directing us to the Red Cross yet they keep telling us no thanks. The victims are staying at the locals schools and churches until they can find homes and we would like to visit those places and won't be near the devastated areas. We know they are using therapy dogs as we have seen them on the news.

These trips cost us a lot of money in time, fuel, hotel and food but that is what we trained him for and it is 100% volunteer. Please help us find a way in if anyone has any connection or at the very least bring attention to these Therapy Dogs as they do wonders for patients and victims alike. The stories I could tell would take hours.

Please have them visit his Facebook page and share this page so that maybe the right person will see it and contact us so he can do the only thing in life he lives for.
https://www.facebook.com/HollywoodTheTherapyDog

Thank you,
Rick

[mockingbird812]

I am indeed one of Hollywood's <span style="font-size: 20pt"><span style="font-style: italic"><span style="font-weight: bold">biggest</span></span></span> fans! Great gesture guys!!!!

[Postsedan]

Hollywood Rocks! The Scarecrow, not too much [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/naughty.gif[/img] Well done Rick [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/biggthumpup.gif[/img]

Dan

[twertsy]

Awesome gesture! Wish I had contacts around there...

[Xplantdad]

How about the local TV stations...I bet they'd have contacts?

[x77-69z28]

Boy that's a good looking boy!

[bluel78]

It's a great gesture but I can see their point. I have helped with tornado recoveries and disaster planning for our small town. The technical rescue team I belong to brings food, water etc. with us so we don't use local resources and we only go if we are asked. It's sad but there are a lot of people that try to loot so the only way to control the bad is to keep everyone away unless invited. You are on the right track though just wait for an invitation.

[SS427]

Update. We are loading up Hollywood and ourselves and headed for Washington, IL within a few hours. The ONE place that never crossed either of our minds to contact was the very organization that Hollywood belongs to. Therapy Dog International. It took some work and about 5 days but we got the green light and the contacts and are headed there shortly. They are letting us come back on Thanksgiving day as well which will be great. We would have like to have stayed multiple days/nights as they are putting dog owners up in a large home without furnishings and all you have to do is bring sleeping equipment. The only kicker was that a dog carrier/kennel is mandatory with NO exceptions. Unfortunately, they do NOT make a large enough portable carrier for him so that leaves us out. Oh well, driving back and forth will not hurt us. Thanks to all the PM's and emails from people who offered to help. WE APPRECIATE IT!
Rick, Annie and Hollywood

[mockingbird812]

[img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/flag.gif[/img]

[Xplantdad]

Great to hear Rick. [img]<<GRAEMLIN_URL>>/beers.gif[/img]