Employees in Westmoreland County’s controller’s office spend much of their work day staring at numbers.
It was quite the welcome distraction Wednesday morning when a parade of therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers made their way into the first-floor courthouse office for belly rubs and heads scratches during a brief 15-minute break in the day.
“It’s definitely therapy for the office. Just look at the smiles on everyone’s faces,” said Controller Jeff Balzer.
The Top Dog Therapy Team brought 10 canines to the courthouse to visit a series of offices as part of the nonprofit’s certification process for its more than 160 dogs that visits local schools, nursing homes, hospitals and other organizations.
Rodney Little said spending time with the furry, four-legged friends can have a significant impacts on the community. Little owns Top Dog Services, a Youngwood-based business that trains service dogs and through his nonprofit enlisted a team of about 140 volunteers to oversee a roster of more than 95 therapy dogs.
“We’re here to pick up morale at the courthouse. When you touch and pet a dog it can bring down anxiety by 48%. Everyone needs a break every day,” Little said.
Little knows first-hand the power of a dog’s company.
“I was in a bad motorcycle accident and was in the hospital for over a year. When I didn’t come home my service dog at home was depressed. My wife took the dog with her to the hospital and I saw first hand the impact it can have. That’s how our therapy service was formed,” Little said.
His team of volunteers moved through the courthouse on Wednesday, including a stop in the Register of Wills office where Little’s wife, Lara, has worked since early this year as a clerk.
Register of Wills Sherry Magretti Hamilton, whose office has been beset with controversy over the last several months as she faces a sentencing hearing next week for contempt of court over involving her oversight of staff and office functions, said the canine visit came at a good time for the staff.
“We’re happy they’re here and I wish they could be here every day,” Hamilton said.
Rich Cholodofsky is a TribLive reporter covering Westmoreland County government, politics and courts. He can be reached at rcholodofsky@triblive.com.
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