Sonya the Wonder Dog

Therapy dog Sonya, a four-year-old golden retriever, has a new accolade: she recently became certified through the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen program. Her owner, Diamond Bar resident Prakash Vora, spent months in classes training Sonya in proper protocol and behavior.

“Sonya is one of the only volunteer dogs in Diamond Bar,” he said.

Vora has been working on a website to help people keep track of Sonya’s volunteer opportunities; it is about 80 percent finished.

“It will have pictures of her friends, what she does, and her certificates,” Vora said. “I want people to know about her. She will be the only dog with her own website.”

Vora also spoke about his plans to work with disabled children, prisons and to branch out to other places closer to home. He wants to make sure everyone gets a chance to know the joy Sonya brings into his own life.

Sonya is only Vora’s second dog. His first, a dachshund “was not suited for volunteer work,” Vora said. “He wasn’t very smart.”  

Vora spoke highly of Sonya’s intelligence.

“She is one of the top five dogs they use for therapy,” Vora said. “Because she is so smart she is good at what she does.”  

With Sonya, Vora felt it would be a waste to leave her at home when she held so much potential to help others. After months of classes, exams, and training, he was able to certify Sonya as a volunteer therapy dog.

“Her vest lets her go into any hospital,” he said.

Vora and Sonya make trips to facilities in Diamond Bar, Whittier and Norwalk. He works with everyone from children to dementia patients.

Vora underlined how important it was for Sonya to know how to behave around patients in the hospital. Sonya is trained to walk on the left side, to sit six inches from a patient, and to remain calm no matter how loud the noises are.

“There is equipment, and jumping on the patient might hurt them,” he said. “If we are walking and there are loud noises she will ignore them."

Vora trains Sonya for close to two hours every day, with more on the weekend. Vora says it keeps him active and happy. Between work, family, yoga and Sonya, it’s a surprise he gets any time to himself. But Vora enjoys his work.

“There is no reason you can’t do what you want,” he said. “If you want to do it you can find the time.”

On top of volunteering, Sonya takes part in classes to help with her agility, and runs obstacle courses.

“Her time isn’t good,” Vora said with a laugh. “But as long as she is having fun I am willing to do it.”

After all he has done for the community, Vora is always thinking about new ways to help. It frustrates him when people do not return his calls about volunteering at their facilities.

“I am doing it for free,” Vora said. “I am doing it because I want to help.”