PHOTOS: Therapy Dog Day brings fun and dogs to Ex Novo

Southwest Canine Corps. of Volunteers (SCCV) had an event April 21 solely to educate the public about therapy dogs and what goes into the program.

The group showcased and talked about some of their programs including "Read to the Dogs!" "Cuddle a Canine!" and "Safe Dog Skills!".

Donna Collins was there with her dog, Nellie Jean, as part of the read to the dogs and cuddle a canine group, two very popular tents at the event.

"When I was working, I'd seen something on the television or in a newspaper about a therapy dog and I was fascinated because I've had dogs most of my life. I'd never thought about that, and I was coming up on retirement. So I thought, 'OK, this is something I would like to do in retirement,'" Collins said.

She started with another golden retriever before Nellie but decided to continue therapy dog work with her at SCCV.

Nellie is not an average golden retriever, though. People who meet her will notice one of her eyes is a light blue color, which is a stark contrast from her empathetic brown eye.

A calm dog by nature, Nellie finds fulfillment in the work she does. That work is very much a team effort between her and Collins, however.

"One of the things they look for in a potential therapy dog is a good relationship with the owner," Collins explained. "It's really whether the dog is casual and relaxed and likes to interact with people. A dog that can be comfortable on strange floors and be around strange noises."

Collins says Nellie is just naturally patient.

"Total love all the time," she said.

Collins added that training Nellie was easy because she already had the personality of a therapy dog.

Nellie and Collins frequently visit the University New Mexico Hospital, where the hustle and bustle of nurses, doctors and patients can be stressful to an average dog. But Nellie has been especially trained to the standards the hospital keeps so she can be around patients and, sometimes, nurses in need.

"One of the most common things that therapy dogs do and the one you kind of think of is probably going to hospitals," Collins said. "We go to ICUs or the children's wards. Sometimes we go to the ER, which is always crazy."

While patients and their families get a break from the stress of being admitted, nurses and doctors get a break, too.

"How many times have you seen stories on television about stressed-out nurses and doctors and then the pediatrician, the turnover of staff because they are so stressed," she said.

That's the whole point of therapy dogs, Collins says.

Stress relief from therapy dogs is proven by several studies. According to the U.S. Department of Health, research on human-animal interactions is still relatively new. Some studies have shown positive health effects, but the results have been mixed.

"Interacting with animals has been shown to decrease levels of cortisol (a stress-related hormone) and lower blood pressure. Other studies have found that animals can reduce loneliness, increase feelings of social support, and boost your mood," reads one study.

Collins and Nellie, with this in mind, have helped hospital patients, students young and old, teachers and even senior citizens.

With kids, a therapy dog like Nellie can help them get over fear of reading, focus in the classroom and learn about safe ways to approach animals.

Call centers and rehab centers have also benefitted from Nellie being there.

"People will stop what they're doing to say hello," Collins said.

Nellie and Collins will be just one of many at Ex Novo to answer questions and represent SCCV's therapy dogs.

According to the website, SCCV is a local, not-for-profit organization in the Albuquerque area. It has more than 70 members and multiple dogs. It has been offering pet therapy to the metro area community for more than 30 years and partners with more than 35 facilities, allowing members to visit a wide variety of locations and provide pet therapy to hundreds of individuals in need of a furry friend.

For more information, visit the SCCV website.