Sandy the therapy dog, a well-loved staff member at Governors State University, had a retirement party on April 22.
Though she didn’t say much, Sandy seemed to enjoy the party in the GovState library. She made her rounds, trying to give attention to everyone in attendance, and ensured she got a pet and a picture from anyone who came to visit. Of course, she also enjoyed plenty of treats.
Sandy has utilized her exceptional skills to bring peace and calm to GovState for over eight years now. She began her career as a therapy dog, helping hospital patients after becoming trained and certified through the Masonic Association of Service and Therapy Dogs. Sandy was around five years old when her owner, Steve Hyzny, an IT professor at GovState, completed the training with her.
At the retirement party, Hyzny told some stories about times when Sandy had a profound impact on people. “One girl in the hospital started petting her, and she just broke down,” he said. “When that happened, we knew we needed to stay for a while.”
Hyzny adopted Sandy after his niece brought home the eight-week-old puppy from PAWS Chicago as a foster. She soon became a member of the family.
“The university used to pay an organization to bring in therapy dogs during finals week,” Hyzny said. “I brought Sandy to campus once, and they asked me if I could bring her in when the contract ended. I asked if I could bring her in more often.”
Sandy became the official library dog at GovState and began making regular weekly visits.
“Who wouldn’t want to bring their dog to work with them?” Hyzny said.
After her time in the hospital, Sandy had to learn how to transition to university life, Hyzny explained. “At the hospital, she couldn’t accept treats, but here it was allowed. It took some work at first, but she adapted quickly.”
At 14, Sandy has some mobility issues and is ready for a break from the action.
“It’s getting harder for her to get up and down,” Hyzny said. “We have a house near a lake. She can use her doggy door to get out on the deck whenever she wants. She will rest and relax.”
Even though her retirement will begin soon, Sandy will visit campus again this term, calming nerves and enjoying attention from her fans before the end of her final semester at GovState.
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