A Diamond in the Ruff

Many people driving down I-10, a super-highway that stretches from Jacksonville, Fla., to the Pacific Ocean, would have cast a blind eye to a bedraggled, emaciated dog walking down the shoulder. Not Sandi Poreda and her husband, Jason.

The pup they rescued 12 years ago at the Live Oak, Fla., exit, has since flourished and has become a rock star in the Animal Therapy program at Tallahassee Memorial HealthCare.

“We pulled over and she walked right up to us,” Sandi said. “It took us two hours to pull off all the ticks she had — and she just sat there the whole time, letting us do it.”

Sandi estimates that the pit bull they rescued, which they named Ella, was about 3-years-old. Now, at 15, she relies on a wagon to get around, due to a tumor she developed five years ago that compressed her spinal cord.

Thankfully, being part of a loving home with Sandi and Jason, Ella continues to thrive and bring happiness to the patients she sees throughout TMH.

“I think her quality of life probably improved,” Sandi said. “She now has staff!”

Sandi added, “When she became paralyzed, I thought this may be meaningful to people who have mobility issues. Ella seems to really lift people’s spirits. We recently visited a patient who was going through occupational therapy. The patient was able to raise her hand — the one that was most challenging — and gave Ella a banana chip, her favorite treat. The patient burst into tears.”

It’s this kind of impact TMH’s Animal Therapy program has on people’s lives. Donor support makes this possible. There are more than 200 volunteers in the program who, along with their pets (dogs, cats, birds, bunnies and others), undergo intense screening and training before entering the program to visit patients. However, donor support helps fund the operations of the program itself.

Do you want to help bring comfort and joy to countless patients through animals like Ella? You can, by making a gift to support the Animal Therapy program! Visit TMH.ORG/donate and choose “Animal Therapy” from the drop-down menu.