First cat certified in Marquette County to provide pet therapy
MARQUETTE -- They assist with therapy and provide stimulation and affection for the elderly, disabled and hospitalized. And now a cat has been certified for pet therapy in Marquette County.
Dusty loved the attention middle school students gave him at North Star Academy. And he should, since it's his job to provide comfort and love and engage the people he meets every day.
"He is so laid back," said Dusty's handler, Karen Anderson. "At least ten or twelve students held him. Everybody's petting him and he's still calm and enjoying it."
Dusty is one of 25 trained pets that are part of the Superiorland Pet Partners, and he's the only cat certified to provide pet therapy in Marquette County. Dusty was certified as a therapy cat a year ago, but he's still waiting for places to visit and assist with pet therapy.
"Dusty's ready to go to work," Anderson said. "He enjoyed it. I can tell."
Dusty and his dog friends visited North Star to give the children a glimpse into their jobs and teach them how to interact with animals in a safe way. It included teaching the students to let the animal sniff them and asking the owner's permission to pet them.
There was Pog, an Irish Wolfhound; Murphy a Golden Retriever; Arlo, a Standard Poodle; and Strider, a Husky/Lab mix.
"Any domesticated animal can be certified under pet therapy," said Pog's handler, Patty Cornish. "That includes things like pot belly pigs, guinea pigs, birds, llamas, donkeys, miniature horses."
All of the animals share one thing in common--they have a mild temperament and they obey the handler's commands. And like Dusty, they love people and petting.
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