Love on a Leash Howard County Chapter

27/11/2025

Visit at First City Recovery

We had a real nice visit today at First City Recovery. This time of day seems to work better because the clients are winding down for the day, and the lady out front told us they were excited to see the pets. We had several come to see us. There were three teams! Joining Sugar and I were Deborah & Toby and Paula & Mack the cat! It was so good to have Paula and Mack join us and everyone enjoyed seeing the new handsome boy! He was a little nervous when we first got there, but he settled down and did pretty good. He allowed people to come up and pet him and many commented about how handsome he is. He meowed quite a bit at first, but then got quiet after a little while. He is still getting used to riding in a stroller (which is quite different for most cats! LOL) and going out and about, but overall, he did a good job on his 2nd visit, and everyone enjoyed having him with us! Paula, it was so nice to have YOU with us too! LOL Toby and Sugar did a good job in bringing love and they got lots of attention too. Toby enjoyed being on the comfy couches as Sugar does, so Sugar may have some competition for the couches now! As you all know, we can't take pictures with the clients but here are a few we got in the lobby.

25/11/2025

Howard Haven visit

We had a nice visit today with our friends at Howard Haven. It was very calm and relaxing as usual and we enjoyed talking with the residents and staff. Joining me and Sugar was Terri & Millie, Lisa and Zoey, and John & Lisa's dog Elroy. As some of you already know, Elroy is already certified with LOAL, but John is getting certified as another handler with him. Just thought I would clarify that to avoid any confusion. John had to retire his dog Balto so he is going visiting with Lisa and her dogs. Anyway, here are the pictures of the visit today.

21/11/2025

Brickyard Visit

Deborah and I had a nice visit at Brickyard today with Toby and Sugar. First, we visited a lady from our church and spent a little extra time with her. After that, we went down to visit the other residents. I love the way some of the residents get attached to our pets and call them by name. At one point I was walking down the hall and I heard a lady yelling "Sugar! Sugar! Sugar!" I turned around and there was a lady racing down the hall in her wheelchair to get to us. It was a precious mement to see how much our visits mean to others. When she got to us, she gave Sugar some big hugs! At another point during the visit, I walked out in the hallway and there was a staff member sitting on the hard floor loving on Toby, enjoying every minute of our little guy's love! Our visits not only mean something to the residents, but the staff as well. Both dogs gave and received lots of love. We enjoyed the visit as the dogs did, and we made a point to see one couple there, who always love it when we come. We spent a little extra time with them too. The man is 95 and he always wants the dogs on his lap, (even Sugar!) and he alway begs them to give him kisses. His wife enjoys the dogs too and also held both of them. When we were leaving the man thanked us for making his day. It's why we do what we do. Here are the pictures of the visit today.

19/11/2025

19/11/2025

Visit at Silver Birch today

We had a real nice visit with the residents and staff at Silver Birch today. One thing that made it extra special to me, is that today is Sugar's 7th birthday! She took treat bags and handed out to the other dogs who came, and she wore her birthday hat and sign that I made that says Birthday Girl. The residents and staff loved it and we had a real nice time. Deborah & Toby and Terri & Millie joined us for this fun visit and we all enjoyed it. Silver Birch is quickly becoming a favorite place to visit, as the residents really enjoyed it, and they have some of the sweetest people there. There was also a resident dog named Zoey who joined us today and she kept wanting our.dogs.to play with her. She wasnt sure about the other dogs at first, but she eventually warmed up to them. At Silver Birch, we all go to the lobby area and the residents who want to see the pets, come down to see us, so we dont have to do a lot of walking arounf from room to room, which makes it nice. It was also mine and Sugar's first visit since my fall, so it was nice that I could sit a lot instead of doing a lot of walking. It's also nice to just sit and have a nice visit with those who are there. Deborah and Terri also sang Happy Birthday to Sugar which was also very nice, and many of the staff and residents wished her a happy birthday when they saw her birthday hat and sign. Toby sat on lots of laps and Millie even got out of her stroller to sit on a lap or two. A Big THANKS to Deborah and Terri for singing to Sugar and helping me celebrate another year with the wonderful dog she is. Sugar is hoping that Toby and Millie enjoy their treat bags from her too! Thanks ladies! Here are the pictures I got of today's visit. 💙🎂💙🐕💙🐕💙🐕💙🎉

15/11/2025

Waterford Visit

A big THANKS to Deborah & Toby and Terri & Millie for doing the Waterford visit today. Terri took some pictures and she and Deborah told me that had a real good visit. They said the staff and residents were all very excited to see them. Terri also told me it was National Pickle day and they were handing out pickles to everyone!!! LOL They were also hosting an Autumn singer with treats as part of the Life Enrichment activities. Deborah said they walked around a lot and visited with a lot of people. Im glad the visit went well. Thanks so much ladies. I missed being there with you all and hope to be back visiting soon. Sugar missed her friends too. We miss you all. Here are the pictures I got from Terri and one from Deborsh. Thanks ladies! 💙🥒💙🥒💙

05/11/2025

Bloom Visit

Good morning friends. As usual, we had a nice visit at Bloom yesterday. We had 3 teams. Sugar and I were joined by Deborah & Toby and Terri & Millie. The dogs received lots of love and brought lots of joy to the residents & staff. Here are the pictures of the visit. We love our friends at Bloom!

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02/11/2025

Visit at the Library 📚

We had a great visit at the library this morning. I was happy to have a nice turn out of teams with 4 dog teams and our sweet little cat Molly, for a total of 5 pets! The teams who attended with Sugar & I, were Lisa & Molly, Terri & Millie, Pam & Ridge, and Katie & Honey, which was a great surprise! It was so nice having Katie & Honey with us again and Honey was so excited that it took her a little bit to calm down. I think she was as excited to see us as we were to see her AND her Mom Katie! The library was pretty quiet today but we did have a few kids and adults who enjoyed the pets. One young girl told us that her cat had recently got out a couple of months ago and they couldnt find her, and are holding out, hoping she will make it back home. She spent a good long time with Molly reading to her and petting her, and then went around to see the dogs too. I was so happy that she got to spend so much time with Molly, as I think it must have been very comforting to her. Thanks Lisa, for bringing her. I felt like it was a "God thing." The dogs got some attention too, and they all took turns wearing Sugar's Turkey headband, which was fun! We all got a good laugh out of it as they all looked so cute. One of our very favorite, regular, young boys came and as he was leaving he turned back around and said "I've had a wonderful time with you all, but I need to go now!" Love that boy! He and his Grandma always come and we enjoy them so much....... Pam, Lisa, and I all stayed a little later after the visit was over, to talk about some future plans, and possible opportunities to do some things together with the two chapters down the road. More info will be given later as things progress and opportunities arise, so keep an eye out for it. We had a good discussion and Im looking forward to more future visits together with the two chapters, for those who are interested. Thanks to all who came out today to make the library visit a great and fun one! Here are the pictures I got of the visit.

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30/10/2025

Deborah and I had another good visit today at First City Recovery with Sugar and Toby. It was different going there at 3:00 but we liked it and got to see and talk to quite a few people. While we were waiting in the lobby to go back, a lot of people who I assume were outpatient, were up front signing out for the day and lots of them came to see the two dogs and pet them. After that, they took us back to the detox unit and we sat with the clients there. Sugar and Toby took turns switching sides of the room and we had some good conversations as they pet the dogs. One lady wanted one of my cards so she could get more information, and several enjoyed giving and receiving love from the two dogs. Though they were small in number, the two dogs were big in giving lots of love to the clients. Good job Toby and Sugar! 💙💙 It's a shame we cant take pictures with the clients because we could have gotten some good ones, but here are the few I got in the lobby and then outside as we were leaving. (Please ignore my hair as it was a windy day! LOL) A BIG THANKS to Deborah and Toby for joining Sugar and I at this very meaningful visit which is so appreciated by those who are there. 💙💙

29/10/2025

I am a little late in posting the visits at Howard Haven but here they are Deborah and I had a nice, and very quiet visit with the usual residents. Toby wore his festive bandana and Sugar wore her collie flower attire. Howard Haven is always another favorite visit as it is so relaxed and peaceful, and the residents enjoy talking to us as well as visiting the animals. They have become special friends and I always enjoy seeing them. One of the regular residents was disappointed that he didnt get to see Ridge for the 2nd month in a row, but he still gave some attention to Sugar and Toby. Toby sat on several laps and Sugar spent a lot of time on the couch with her favorite resident. This resident is getting very possessive of Sugar and didnt want me to take her to see anyone else. She kept telling people that Sugar was HER baby! I did manage to get her away for a bit to see the others which was nice, and Toby filled in by sitting on her lap while Sugar was across the room. Thanks little one! Deborah also took a blanket in so we could cover the new couch before allowing the animals on it. Thanks Deborah! Love you both! Here are the pictures I got at the visit. Deborah took a couple of me and Sugar too.

22/10/2025

More photos from our Silver Birch visit.

22/10/2025

The visit at Silver Birch went very well today. It was a real nice visit and we all enjoyed it. We had never been there before and were pleased to see that the facility looked real nice. We visited in the lobby which was nice because we didn't have to walk around from room to room. The residents came to us and those who came, were excited to see the dogs. Me and my collie flower were joined by Terri and her little cowgirl, Deborah and Toby in his little festive bandana, and Peggy with Gracee in her festive collar. I’m glad we have put this place on our schedule and I think they residents and the activity director were too! Here are the pictures I got of the visit. Thanks to the ladies who joined me today. I appreciate you all.

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