When he was born, Tigger had to learn how to walk.
Dogs Program
May 21, 2020
The American Staffordshire terrier mix was born with ectrodactyly, a deformity that manifests as lobster claw-shaped paws.
He escaped death as a puppy, rescued by a neighbor, and braved a trip across several states to land a home with Eve Good.
Then the surgeries started.
Tigger has had four surgeries in three years, which has meant learning how to do everything again — from walking to running to playing.
And now, Tigger is learning to use Zoom.
“We knew he had to be a therapy dog,” said Good, who fostered Tigger with the hopes of getting him through his surgeries but ultimately fell in love with the dog she’s now had for five years. “He’s a ham and loves people too much. If we take him anywhere and there’s people, he will just stop and assume the people are there to see him.”
Good signed Tigger up for the R.E.A.D. to Dogs program hosted at mid-valley libraries as a way to get shy children out of their shells. Children having trouble reading aloud can visit their local library to pet, lounge on and otherwise love on a dog while reading out loud.
“If you bring a dog in,” Good said, “it lowers their blood pressure right away. Maybe they were having trouble reading in front of the class, but they can read to the dog.”
Athena Lathos is the librarian responsible for coordinating the program at the Albany Public Library.
“The program began in November 2017 and is part of our Wednesday programming at the library, which is geared toward families and elementary-aged children,” she said. “The in-person program is so popular that our sign-up list fills up to capacity every single month.”
In other words, the program, Good said, was made for Tigger.
Then COVID-19 came to the mid-valley.
“He never actually got to do it the right way,” Good said of Tigger’s involvement in the program. “But he still loves it.”
A few times a week, Good and Tigger turn on the computer, log into Zoom and listen to stories read by a handful of children with a librarian on standby.
For about an hour, Tigger lies beside Good and listens to children — 10 minutes at a time — tell stories of green eggs and ham, teenage detectives and faraway lands.
“Tigger gets the screen,” Good said. “I pet him to keep him focused, and he’ll look at the screen, but eventually he falls asleep. He loves it.”
The plan is to continue using Zoom through the summer if the libraries remain closed due to social distancing measures.
And while Good said Tigger would do better being close to children, he’s made Zoom work — mostly.
“Once he was distracted by a rabbit or feral cat or something and he jumped out and was out the dog door,” she said. “The librarian grabbed her cat and I grabbed our other dog and sat him in front of the screen while we went and chased Tigger. Other than that, he’s listened and fallen asleep.”
Learn more About:
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
June 2, 2021
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]Students Get Therapy Dog
January 8, 2021
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]Therapy Dogtor
January 8, 2021
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]Therapy Dog Pups
January 8, 2021
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]Puppy Cams
January 7, 2021
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]Pet Committee
January 7, 2021
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]The Right Rescue Dog
January 7, 2021
If your New Year’s resolution is to add a canine family member, good for you. Somewhere out there is the perfect puppy or adult dog for your family. You have a lot of things to think about when you begin to look for that new family member, puppy or dog? Large or small? Purebred or […]Police Dog Attack
January 7, 2021
A resolution headed to the Duluth City Council on Monday could put to rest a lawsuit filed by Teri Lynn Ehlers, an employee of the Patch Motel, who was bitten by a Duluth police dog named Oakley. Former Duluth Police Officer Marc Johnson was a registered guest of the Warroad establishment May 28, 2018, when […]PAWS With A Cause
January 7, 2021
Pebble Hill Plantation and the Thomas County Public Library are pleased to announce the upcoming Enlightening Bites program, “PAWS With a Cause,” on Friday, January 8, 2021 at noon in the Flipper Room of the Library. The program is being presented by Jeri Anderson, field representative. Anderson is recently retired from the City of Monticello, […]Police Canine Team
January 7, 2021
Kingston Police revealed in a news release late Wednesday afternoon that they’ve been keeping a four-legged secret for roughly three months. The force announced it added a second canine unit, with the arrival of police service dog Dak this past October. He is working with Const. Jeff Dickson, while police service dog Bask is working […]
