This a great story about what a lot of love and patience can do to turn around a dog that was used in dogfighting.  Hector was one of Michael Vick’s dogs, he has recently been adopted and is now a certified therapy dog.

Hector,  owned by Andrew Yori of Rochester, was recently certified as a therapy dog by TDI. He is a 4-year-old pit bull who spent the first part of his life as part of Michael Vick’s dog-fighting operation in Virginia. Rescued in 2007, Hector moved to Rochester in June of last year.

Hector still bears scars from his fights, but he has settled happily into his new peaceful life.

“He’s a big goofy dog,” Yori said.

Pit bulls are a very resilient breed.

“Not a lot of dogs could go through what he did and still come out OK,” Yori said.

Hector’s attitude seems to be, “It’s behind me, let’s go forward and have a good time.”

Yori and Hector are just waiting for the completion of some paperwork, then they will start visiting nursing homes. This is a dog that most deemed unadoptable, or not worth saving, but because he was given a chance, he’ll now give back to society by sharing his love with others in need.

Check out BadRap Blog and see some adorable pictures, and I mean adorable, of Hector with Oakland shelter volunteer and NFL player Jarrod Cooper.  In the photo shoot Cooper is holding Hector who basically turns into a big marshmallow.

Kudos to Cooper for volunteering at the Oakland shelter, and for showing what a dog loving NFL player looks like.

*Pic of Yori and Hector courtesy Postbulletin.com

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If you’ve ever thought that your dog would make a great therapy dog, but never pursued it, this story will make  you want to go sign-up for training.  It shows what an amazing difference a therapy dog can make for a person who is sick, elderly, or as in this case, gone through a horrible tragedy.

The recent plane crash in Buffalo, NY has touched so many lives, changed so many families. To help the grieving relatives special four-legged therapists were brought to several sites, in hopes of providing some comfort.

Merlot, a Black Labrador, was brought to a local hotel to help a woman with the loss of a relative. The dog, being a trained therapist, waited until the woman was ready to engage.

“It was immediate. She reached over and petted the dog and hugged it,” said Tara Hughes, the lead Red Cross mental health volunteer at the Family Assistance Center for relatives of the deceased crash victims.

Hughes had previously seen the canine therapy dogs in action at other far less tragic settings, but never before like this.

“To know this woman was truly grieving and sense what she needed, my first thought was emotional support doesn’t have to come from a person and this support for that woman was far beyond anything another person could do for her,” Hughes said.

In order to become a therapy dog a basic obedience class certification is required and then the dogs, and their owners, must pass a stringent test by the therapy organization. It is imperative to know how the dogs will react in different situations and scenarios.

But the beauty of the dogs, unlike human mental health professionals, is that these four-legged therapists do not require those they care for to utter a single word.

What a great way to give back to the community, sharing the love of your dog with those most in need. You can find out more about therapy dog programs in your community by searching online. Here is one site that gives a state-by-state list.

* Pic courtesy Derek Gee/Buffalo News

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Pit Bull Leo, rescued from NFL quarterback Michael Vick’s dogfighting ring, now brings happiness to a cancer ward and probationary center.

Despite his training as a killer, Leo is a sweetheart as he visits his friends on the ward.

“He is wonderful, and all the patients love Leo,” said Paula Reed, the facility’s oncology director. “They really love his eyes and gentleness.”

I remember crying over the poor dogs who were seized from Vick’s property with a terrible past and little hope for a future after the story broke. Hearing about their rehabilitation makes my heart feel full. Thank you to all the rescuers who gave these unfortunate souls a second chance.

Read the full story here: Beaten-down dog from Vick case has his day.

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