We adopted Sophia (shortened to Sophie) in November 2015. She is the sweetest, most loving dog we have ever met. When she came to us, my mother was in a nursing home about a mile away. We visited my Mom every evening, and brought Sophie along. It was clear that Sophie loved to go on this short road trip, and it was also clear that she loved to see my mother, the nursing home staff, and the other residents. She didn't shy away from wheelchairs, walkers, or any other medical equipment. Without us realizing it, Sophie was providing my mother with enjoyment therapy, something she looked forward to each evening.

Several months later, we attended the Dog-Palooza in Dennis, MA, where many vendors set up tables. One of those vendors was the Companion Animal Program of Cape Cod. The group provides pet therapy to nursing homes, schools, libraries, and now hospitals. I vowed that when I retired, Sophie and I would sign up for the training. I retired at year-end 2016, and our class started in January 2017. We had 12 weeks of training, and we passed our evaluation in April of that year.

We have since done about 100 visits, mostly to nursing homes, with a few visits to schools and libraries. When we put a smile on someone's face, it really makes our day. Sophie and I are now the Captain teams at two nursing homes and I have recently joined the CAP Board.

Deb and I look forward to the day when we can adopt a second NEBR pet. And Deb looks forward to going through the CAP training program down the road, now that she is retired as well.