I Am A Therapy Dog

Tonia Hanson and her 5-year-old greyhound Maverick are consistently busy making stops all across Memphis as one of the teams with West TN Therapy Dogs. Their trips to the University of Memphis are extra special visits.

Maverick comes to the McWherter Library to comfort students and provide a break from the stress of their studies. For Hanson, nostalgia sets in as she remembers her time as a student. She is a December 1994 graduate — the first class to earn degrees under the University of Memphis name after the transition from Memphis State University.

“I had classes with Penny Hardaway,” Hanson recalled. “I remember when he signed his first NBA contract he came and took pictures with all of us and signed autographs. It was very cool.”

Hanson’s love for her alma mater has remained strong ever since. She and her husband, Tim, have been dedicated supporters of the UofM — especially Tiger athletics — throughout their 32 years together in Memphis.

“We just love supporting the University and all things Memphis,” said Hanson, who has been a therapy dog handler for 10 years.

Maverick was adopted through the Mid-South Greyhound Adoption Option (MSGAO), which recently closed in conjunction with the cessation of greyhound racing at the Southland Casino in West Memphis, Arkansas. MSGAO placed retired racing greyhounds, like Maverick, in forever homes for more than 30 years.

“Greyhounds are really well suited to be therapy dogs because of their temperament,” Hanson said. “They are so naturally calm. So, for Maverick, this really came easy and naturally. He is my fourth therapy dog, and I have loved doing this from the beginning. It is a way for me to feel like I’m having a little bit of an impact in our city.”

Therapy dogs are effective in a wide range of settings as proven helpers with decreasing conditions such as anxiety, stress and depression while also improving social skills. Maverick’s stops around Memphis include a foster kids’ camp to participate in videos that assist with promotion of the child adoption process, and the Criminal Justice Center to help calm witnesses before taking the stand.

“If they want us to come, we do whatever we can to find a way to make it work,” Hanson said.

Meeting every request isn’t easy, though. The demand has outgrown the number of teams at West TN Therapy Dogs. According to Hanson, the group could use at least 15 more dog and handler pairs.

West TN Therapy Dogs is certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, an international registry of therapy dog teams. Testing to join the West TN team is coordinated through the Alliance and includes a written online test and two in-person observations through a local evaluator before certification.

“People can sometimes be very intimidated by the therapy dog testing process, but if you think your dog has the right personality and temperament, that’s really what it’s all about,” Hanson said. “A long list of tricks and commands are not at all required.”

For more information about scheduling a site visit or joining the West TN Therapy Dogs team, visit westtntherapydogs.org .