By Caitlin Ewing
In 2001, I raised Alomar for Guide Dogs. From the day we brought him home, we knew he was destined to be a great Guide Dog. He had a sweet, mellow disposition and an aptitude for work. After an early retirement at the age of 5, Alomar came back to our home and began his second career as a therapy dog. Twice a month, Alomar spends the afternoon at Stanford Hospital sitting with patients on their beds and getting all the belly rubs he can ask for.
I recently sat with a patient before they were going in for major surgery. Alomar sat on the bed with his forehead pressed against the patient's forehead getting his ears rubbed. It was such a simple gesture that created a beautiful moment. When it was time for the patient to to be taken to the operating room, I was told that the patient likely wouldn't have stayed so calm if it wasn't for Alomar's gentle presence.
Not only has Alomar had two very successful careers but he has touched the lives of many people. We look forward to sharing his gifts for many more years to come.
Alomar was featured on the local news for his work as a Therapy Dog at Stanford Hospital; check out the segment http://bit.ly/CC_alomar (scroll down to the second video on the page).
