Helping Service Members Through Loving Paws and a Wagging Tail

Therapy Dog Nikita and Volunteer Ken’s Story

Written by: Rosalind SE Carney, volunteer

Ken Vierra, who also has been an American Red Cross First Aid, CPR and AED Basic/Professional Rescuers Instructor Trainer for many years, is the proud owner and handler of Nikita, a Keeshond therapy dog. Nikita was born on June 11, 2013, in Charlottesville, VA. When she was nine months old, Nikita started her training at the Sit Means Sit Dog Training Center. After two in-home training sessions, Nikita passed the Canine Good Citizen Certification on June 7, 2014. Following the certification, Nikita attended group classes where she was called “a mini superstar” and deemed ready and able to pass the therapy dog training and exam. A few months later, Nikita graduated as a GoTeam Therapy Dog/Advanced Canine Good Citizen. For over the past three years, Nikita has been a member of the Caring Angels Therapy Dog Organization and in June 2017 Nikita became an Arch Angel, which is an Elite Caring Angel therapy dog.

Since 2016, Nikita has participated in the Fort Belvoir Community Hospital Pet Visitation American Red Cross program. In this program, handlers such as Ken regularly bring their therapy dogs into the clinic during the daytime as well as participate in Outreach Events for deploying troops. At the Community Hospital, hospitalized service members interact with the therapy dogs, petting them and receiving affection. This facilitates a unique human-canine bond that can help break down barriers in a way that clinical therapists are sometimes unable to do.

Whereas service dogs are trained to assist an individual with certain tasks, therapy dogs are chosen based on their personalities, such as their ability to always be happy and to show affection. Their handlers dedicate a lot of time and resources to first obtain and then maintain the certified therapy dog status. The dogs are regularly reassessed to ensure that they continue to demonstrate appropriate, positive behaviors.

Ken describes that once he puts the American Red Cross work vest on Nikita, she knows she is in her working role. Whether they spend a few hours at a military outreach event, a full day in a Wounded Warriors clinic or attend group classes, Nikita wears her work vest as a badge of pride. From her Red Cross work and participation in numerous events for other organizations, she has been petted by thousands of children and adults and has been described as a “living teddy bear.” While Nikita gives her loving attention to her adoring crowd, Ken takes the opportunity to educate people about the different services that the American Red Cross provides.

Learn More About Red Cross Therapy Dogs