Animal therapy has helped rehabilitate countless physical and mental ailments. For people with histories of trauma, such as teens with behavioral issues or veterans of war, animals have offered an incredible amount of healing and empathy on their road to recovery.
A great example of this is a little boy named Caleb whose life was saved by a therapy dog. A head-on collision left Caleb with such trauma to his brain that he could barely move his arm. However, months after ongoing therapy with a golden retriever named Kernel, Caleb has made an incredible recovery. Misa Minnie, a tiny Yorkie, is another tiny hero who helps change lives through her therapy.
But Spartacus is something of an anomaly in the dog therapy world, because his role in one little girl’s life was purely coincidental, but he has become irreplaceable. Sammy, a student who was present during the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary on December 14, 2012, had a difficult time recovering from PTSD following the heartbreaking event. That is, until she met a 125-pound giant named Spartacus who immediately became her closest confidant and therapist. He offered her an opportunity to talk about her trauma in a way that was safe — completely free from expectation. Their story of friendship so readily shows how important our animal companions can become for healing.
Please SHARE Sammy and Spartacus’ incredible story!
