¨Go Team¨ Therapy dogs have been helping their communities since 2012 when the Waldo Canyon Fires hit. Two handlers and their dogs sought to help comfort first responders and citizens left homeless by the fires. After one of the original handlers, Nancy Trepagnier, saw the substantial positive effect these dogs had on people she dedicated herself to making it a program. Soon that program spread from Colorado to Idaho in 2016, and trained over a thousand dogs/handlers.
One of the many things they are known for is the dog’s trading cards! The trading cards include their name, breed, gender, age, and many things the dogs love doing. I had the privilege of speaking with Nancy Trepagnier, their founder. Their famous trading cards started as holiday photos meant for Trepagnier’s family, but soon she started handing a few out to kids and saw the potential in them.
¨One of the kids that was there said I wish I had a picture of them – I went ahead and gave it to him and he was so excited, and so, of course, some of the other kids came up, they wanted them. Then I received an email from a parent that said ‘you made my kid’s day,’ ” Trepagnier said regarding the impact the photo had on a little boy during the origin stage of the trading cards. The trading cards are not only for the kids, the cards are also exchanged through the owners, and everyone else the Go Team visits.
When the “Go Team” visits the Air Force Academy, ¨They’ve got all their cards lined up on their boards.¨
What’s their mission? They train dogs that are proficient in airports, assisted living homes, schools, hospitals, and more. Their dogs go through an extensive two-day training program. There are a few requirements for the dogs, but most dogs are eligible to join this program. They are volunteer-based with over 1,000 teams!
During an interview with Idaho Channel 6, Cheryl Minto said, ¨You think therapy dogs, do they really do that much? But, the joy that you see in people’s eyes is just amazing.¨ If you think your dog may have what it takes to be a part of a “Go Team”, check out the website and find the earliest training session.
When is the Wolf Pack seeing these pups again? You can find them in the library at lunch on October 6th, November 10th, December 8th, January 12th, February 9th, March 8th, April 12th, and lastly May 10th.
