Beagles don't care about ideology, 

but what they do care about is important

Dayton Catholic Worker Movement sent a delegation to Cleveland last week to a puppy farm. We traveled 212 miles to purchase a puppy from the farm because they are a good breeder of beagles who care about who gets a puppy ... not just anyone ... that's why.  

We purchase a beagle puppy for a new homeless mentally ill guest in recovery from addictions. We teach guests how to train and care for a service dog. The training period lasts 12 months, long enought for those who want a companion dog to bond and learn responsible habits of care. Together we practice the 12 Steps (applied Catholicism). When a guest has maintained continuous abstinence from addictions for 12 months, they obtain the pet’s title of ownership with Service Dog registration. When guests transition to independent living, they are not alone. We plug them into faith communities and volunteer projects. And when they leave, they have a warm being to love. It’s Love that cures addictions!  For over twenty years, eighty percent of our guests have acheived sustainable faith - measured as one year of continuous abstinence from addictions.  

A psychiatric service dog receives specialized training and is a recognized service dog. They help with unseen disabilities, such as anxiety, post traumatic stress disorder, depression, etc. These service animals are trained to sense anxiety attacks, depressive episodes, self harming behavior and help support their owner. These dogs have public access rights and certain travel and housing privileges as well. Ohio law requires service dog trainers to be nonprofit.  CITVN Coop is a member of the Association of Professional Dog Trainers. 

We donate to the local SPCA, but they rarely have a beagle puppy for adoption. We did once adopt a beagle puppy from the local SPCA for a woman with schizo-affective disorder. Gracie helped keep Michelle balanced for fifteen years. Michelle died shortly after Gracie was put down in old age. We have reason to suspect she died of a broken heart. 

We specialize in trainng service beagles for the disabled because they are adaptable, versatile dogs with loving, curious natures. They are even-tempered and keen to be part of the action. Owning a Beagle is great fun, as they are sociable and mischievous, and their natural desire to please makes them easy to train. They do not care if you are differently abled ... just love me.  

There are about 500,000 service animals in the USA. I have read 17 peer-reviewed scientific studies that all illuminated the intensiveness of connectivity people with companion animals reported, and the multi-faceted ways in which pets contributed to the work associated with managing a mental health condition, particularly in times of crisis.  And, for twenty years I have witnessed the results of pairing a service dog with a homeless mentally ill person living in Catholic Worker Movement intentional community. I can say with a good measure of confidence, it's Love that cures addictions.

Mentally ill people are some of the poorest of people. They encounter discrimination in every market and social organization within society. Not infrequently they lose the support of family and friends. One-in-eight chronically homeless mentally ill people commit suicide each year.

There is much evidence that service animals assist people with severe mental health diagnosis. They aide in practical life, to include encouragement of: housekeeping, diet, taking medication, understanding symptoms, making appointments, preventative work to avoid crises, and exercise activities. The main mechanism through which pets appeared to contribute to practical work was through the ability of pets to distract and disrupt attention from symptoms or upsetting experiences such as hearing voices, panic attacks or suicidal ideation. They foster the habits of personal responsibility; a desire to be capable of caring for a pet. When the desire to love a service animal exceeds inordinate self-centered desires, people find the strength to not act out on mood swings and psychotic ideation to the neglect of balancing life routines.

Emotional work relates to wellbeing, providing companionship and being a source of comfort when worried about everyday matters or specific illness matters, to includee: alleviating worry, providing comfort and mitigating against feelings of isolation and loneliness. They encourage their owners to stay in the present, avoid worry and ruminations about past behaviours or concerns about the future. Therapy pets are also considered important in terms of providing protection for their owners. Mentally ill people are easily frightened in a world where people do not understand or do not tolerate their thoughts and behaviors.

Biographical work relates to the tasks and generation of ontological security, required to retain a positive sense of identity and give life meaning. Therapy pets are promoters of social and community interaction. This sense of meaning and purpose includes pets giving their owners a reason to live, a sense of control and empowerment, and gives individuals hope for the future. This was considered particularly important when people were feeling consumed by illness or when self-management felt out of control. Responsibility for the life of another gives pause to impulsivity. It's Love that cures addictions! 

The sentiment of pets being non-judgemental underpins the absence of conditionality, which was a recurring finding in the 17 studies. Therapy pets provide unconditional love and affection which fosters self-acceptance and congruence. Pets constitute a source of support which people could trust and rely on compared with other social network members; they provide simple relationships free from conflict and they do not overstep boundaries. The nature of relationships are simple and reciprocal. Pets understand and honour personal boundaries and pets do not hold past behaviours against them.

My therapy beagle requires lots of playful attention, good food, medical care, long walks in nature, a pooper scooper, a routine bath, medical attention, toenails clipped, a warm bed, toys, a clean household environment, social interactions, treats and prodigious belly rubs. She really does not give a shit about ideology.