Community Corner
Gaylord Hospital Receives Facility Dog from Canine Companions for Independence
"Galya" is a tremendous motivational tool for people undergoing physical rehab!
Photo: Nursing Manager Heather Hancort and Galya
Wallingford, CT - Canine Companions for Independence – a national non-profit organization that provides assistance dogs for children and adults with disabilities – is proud to announce that Gaylord Hospital has recently received a Canine Companions Facility Dog.
Gaylord Hospital Nursing Manager Heather Hancort was matched with Galya, a two-year-old Labrador retriever who has been trained to respond to over 40 advanced commands. Galya can turn light switches on and off, open and close doors and retrieve dropped objects. Galya’s new job will be assisting Heather at Gaylord Hospital in Wallingford as she works with patients recovering from strokes and traumatic injuries.
Heather and Galya returned to Gaylord Hospital after completing Canine Companions recent Team Training Class, an intense, two-week course held at the organization’s Northeast Regional Center in Medford, NY – one of six such centers nationwide. The Northeast Regional Center serves a 13-state area from Maine to Virginia.
Each student who attends Team Training – held at each center four times a year – is paired with a fully trained, working assistance dog, like Galya, and is taught to work with his/her canine companion. The training course consists of daily lectures, exams, practice and public outings.
Heather and Galya are settling into a routine back at Gaylord. Heather says, “Galya is a very special dog and she is already making a tremendous difference in people’s lives.”
For more information about Canine Companions for Independence, contact the Northeast Regional Center at 1-800-572-BARK or visit us at www.cci.org.
About Canine Companions for Independence: Canine Companions for Independence is celebrating its 40th anniversary of providing highly trained assistance dogs to children, adults and veterans with disabilities. Established in 1975, Canine Companions has six training centers across the country, including CA, FL, OH, NY and TX, and has placed nearly 5,000 assistance dogs. Canine Companions is recognized worldwide for the excellence of its dogs, and the quality and longevity of the matches it makes between people and dogs. There is no charge for the dog, its training and a lifetime of ongoing follow-up services. For more information, visit www.cci.org or call 1-800-572-BARK.
