A Typical Day on the Way to and From Work on Melbourne Public Transport for a Therapy Dog Team. Mairead Ashcroft 6/8/18

Moon shadow suffers from travel sickness in the car and although I have tried some natural remedies, none have been helpful to date. I know that their are medications available, but unless it is absolutely necessary, and I have no other choice, I won't be giving my girl chemicals on a fortnightly basis for my convenience. That being said,Once a fortnight, Moon Shadow and I catch two trains to work once a fortnight and she loves it. We travel at a quieter time of the day, between 11.30am and 4pm so the train is never crowded and is always very comfortable. I bring Moon Shadows own mat with us on wet days so she remains clean and dry for the clients in the nursing home in which we work and I must admit, she does look very sweet and pampered.

Before we officially begin our work day, and on the way home from work, we unintentionally, but with great honor, provide a community service for the train passengers, the moment that we sit on the train. Moon Shadow seem to intuitively know when some one needs to spend time with her. She offers her back for a pat and often gets very comfortable and sits on peoples feet and no one seems to mind one bit. Once they begin to pat her and ask about the kind of work that we do as an Animal Assisted Psychotherapy Team, all sorts of personal sharing begins. This weeks journey was no exception. A gentle, young man had his struggles eased a little by Moon Shadow, as he shared his story about supporting his friends who were not as far along in their recovery as he is. A woman was delighted to have Moon Shadow as a play mate on the train for her four year old son. A young woman eased her nerves after reflecting on the job interview that she just attended. A daughter was accompanying her father home from his chemo treatment and he loved the fact that Moon Shadow's fur was surprisingly soft. We discussed the meticulous grooming needs for a therapy dog and he was very interested due to his present lowered immunity. At Flinders St Station, I could see that a woman had sadness in her eyes as they were drawn to Moon Shadow. I asked the woman if she would like to pat Moon Shadow which brought a smile to her face. The woman knelt beside Moon Shadow and told us that her 18 month old puppy had passed away of a genetic heart problem the week before and that his was the first time that she has touched a dog since. Moon Shadow leaned over and kissed the woman when she asked. This is a day in the life of our little team. Where every we go, when Moon Shadow has her coat on, people share their souls with her and she responds in kind.
Live your Bliss
Mairead