Attitudes In Reverse (A.I.R.), the nonprofit Plainsboro-based group which strives to promote empathy and understanding of mental illness, has announced the next step in advancing its mission. The AIR Dogs: Paws For Minds program focuses on trained volunteers seeking out appropriate dogs through shelters and rescues, and match them with people who would benefit from having an emotional support or therapy dog in their life.
“We are looking for those bullet-proof dogs,” says AIR co-founder and certified dog-trainer Tricia Baker, a longtime Plainsboro resident. Baker was inspired to start the program by the emotional support her own dog, Miki the Pomeranian, provided her in the wake of her son Kenny’s death by suicide in 2009 after his long battle with anxiety and depression. “I don’t know how I would have gotten through it without that little dog,” she said.
Although newly formed, AIR Dogs has already successfully placed two dogs. “So many people have told us how much they depended on their dogs for their mental well-being,” Baker said. “It’s ironic to think that Oliver and Roxie were considered throwaway dogs from a shelter, and so many people with mental illness are considered throwaway people.”
Adrienne Carson of Phillipsburg, an AIR board member, senior dog trainer, and animal behaviorist, discovered Oliver in a north Jersey shelter and knew he was AIR Dog material. Oliver was teamed up with Stacey Lambros of East Windsor after she met AIR co-founder Kurt Baker at an event.
When Lambros and Oliver, also a pomeranian, met, they connected immediately. Diagnosed with a mood disorder more than a decade ago, Lambros continues to struggle with anxiety and depression, but she said there has been a profound difference in her life since Oliver came into it. “When I sigh out of anxiety, Oliver licks my face and relaxes me,” she says. “I’m not so lonely any more. I don’t make friends easily, and I don’t talk to a lot of people. Oliver is showing me a lot of love and that helps me with my anxiety. It’s like a little miracle.”
Shortly after Oliver’s placement, Carson found another shelter gem. Roxie is a hybrid Frengle, a cross between a Beagle and a French bulldog.
Matthew, 10, of Lawrence met Carson at the first annual AIR Walk in May at Mercer County Park. Matthew, who has been asking his parents for a dog ever since he could talk, struggles with anxiety, depression, and a pervasive development disorder.
“One of the good things for me about having a dog is Roxie gives me something to talk about when I find myself in a social situation,” says Matthew. “She also helps relax me and helps me get exercise.”
His parents knew they needed just the right dog for him and feel that having Roxie has worked magic on Matthew, unleashing a sense of joy in a boy who found little happiness in life.
The organization has received donations of services from Dr. Michael Tokiwa of the Animal Hospital at Kingston and Blawenburg, Maverick Pet Partners in Skillman, Curbside Cuts Grooming in Princeton, Heavenly Hounds in Lawrenceville, and Dogs & Cats Rule in West Windsor.
“Our hope is that with more training with Stacey and Oliver, and Matthew and Roxie, we’ll be able to turn them into working service dogs,” says Baker. “Then they would be able to take their dogs to places like restaurants and hotels, given the same kind of access that service dogs like seeing eye dogs may have.”
Paws for Mind, Attitudes in Reverse, Heavenly Hounds Dog Training School, 231 Baker’s Basin Road, Lawrenceville. Saturday, October 27, 6 p.m. Kick off for the new program matching dogs with people who would benefit from the emotional support in their life. Miki, Oliver, and Roxie will be at the event. E-mail tricia@attitudesinreverse.org for information. www.attitudesinreverse.org.
