Gabriel's Angels - Pet Therapy for abused and at-risk children

Celebrating 26 years of business excellence, the Sterling Award is one of the most coveted business awards in the Valley, with a rigorous application, judging and selection process. Four teams of judges each conduct an initial review of all applications and narrow the field to three finalists in each category. Once the finalists are identified, the judging teams visit those companies to conduct a personal interview and get a behind-the-scenes look at the operations. Once that step is complete, each judge independently casts a set of points for the finalists based on their embodiment of the award criteria. The points are tallied and the results remain secret until the day of the event. One of the highlights of the Sterling Awards Celebration is the highly anticipated video presentation of each of the 12 finalists. Only members of the Scottsdale Area Chamber of Commerce are eligible to apply for the Sterling Award.

The Sterling Award for Non-Profit recognizes a charitable organization contributing to the social, cultural and educational well-being of its constituents. (501C3)

Gabriel’s Angels delivers healing pet therapy to 13,000 abused, neglected and at-risk children. Gabriel’s Angels Pet Therapy program, encompassing 155 volunteer registered Pet Therapy Teams, is the core of the organization and provides service to 120 agencies for the purpose of intervening in the cycle of violence. The goal of the program is to improve the emotional health and well-being of children and help them develop skills that are precursors to preventing the cycle of violence. In developing the Pet Therapy program, Pam consulted child welfare experts to develop activities targeted at disrupting early patterns and predictors of violence before abused, neglected and at risk children grow into adulthood. Many researchers have noted that there are seven core behaviors - trust, affiliation, confidence, respect, self-regulation, awareness and tolerance - that allow children to mature successfully. These behaviors are missing in children who have suffered from abuse and neglect but can be taught through the unconditional love of a therapy dog. Gabriel’s Angels provides consistent weekly or bi-weekly Pet Therapy visits, or animal assisted activities, to partner agencies, with the average visit lasting 60 to 90 minutes with groups of 10 to 12 children. There is no cost to the participating agency to receive therapy visits for their children. Gabriel’s Angels has committed itself to breaking this cycle and restoring children’s right to grow and develop healthfully.

Also honored for their outstanding contributions in the nonprofit category were National MS Society, Arizona Chapter and Scottsdale League for the Arts.

Daphne’s Headcovers, a 31 year old Phoenix based company, has been a supporter of Gabriel’s Angels for five years. Jane Spicer, Owner and Founder of Daphne’s, has always been philanthropically minded and believes ‘we must do good, while we are doing well.’ In her quest to become involved with a charity in a meaningful way, Jane diligently explored nonprofit organizations that especially resonated with her and her staff members. Over and over Gabriel’s Angels name routinely surfaced along with the amazing story of founding dog, Gabriel. A year ago, Jane decided she needed to listen to this intuitive message.

At what was to be a one-hour meeting, over coffee, Jane and Pam Gaber, CEO and Founder of Gabriel’s Angels, discovered their beliefs, passion and visions were a mirror image of one another – and the meeting lasted over three hours!

As the next several weeks passed, Jane was inspired and committed to design and produce a memorial golf club headcover honoring Gabriel that captures this therapy dog’s gentle spirit. When Jane received the first edition of the Gabriel headcover, she decided to present it to Pam at a breakfast meeting.

As Pam gazed at the one-of-a-kind Gabriel headcover, she was overjoyed. As the two friends talked, they agreed that two vital changes were needed before the final production. His eyes needed to be amber colored and he needed a gray nose. In the quest to make this tribute to Gabriel as perfect as possible, a new challenge was born. It appeared that even though Jane has access to worldwide resources none were capable of making a gray nose! With fierce determination and passion, Jane found a supplier who said ‘yes’ – and Gabriel’s gray nose was in production!

The day that Jane presented the final rendition of Gabriel’s headcover to Pam is one she will never forget. Complete with a re-created exact version of Gabriel’s ‘favorite’ bandana - Jane handed the Gabriel headcover to Pam. Within seconds, Pam’s expression conveyed her happiness, while her eyes shed tears of joy. It was a perfect reflection of Gabriel!

The Gabriel headcover will be available for purchase in early September through www.headcovershop.com/gabriel

Boji is a 13-year old Schnoodle (Schnauzer-Poodle mix), who has been a Gabriel’s Angels therapy dog for 7 years! Along with her owner-handler Gerri, she visits teenagers at Florence Crittenton where shelter, education, counseling and social support is provided to at-risk girls and young women who are struggling with issues and challenges caused by poverty, abuse, neglect, crime and violence.

Through her years visiting the teens, Boji has mastered many entertaining tricks and appears to especially enjoy doing them for the girls. On each visit the teens take turns asking Boji to perform – which builds their self-esteem and increases their ability to interact respectfully with one another. On any given visit, Boji will shake with either paw, sit pretty on both hind legs while giving a ‘hi-five,’ roll over and even dance!

Boji has developed a sense for when a girl is tentative or shy and will tenderly coax her to eventually come close and give pets. Gerri has witnessed this first interaction move forward to the same girl anxiously awaiting Boji’s return – which ultimately builds the important social skill of trust.

Boji looks forward to a new year of bringing unconditional love to at-risk teenagers as a Gabriel’s Angels Therapy Dog – retirement is not in her plans!

Payson, an 11-year-old Black Labrador/Golden Retriever mix, loves visiting the toddlers at the Child Crisis Center in Mesa with her owner-handler, Julie - as a Gabriel's Angels Therapy Team. She sees children of three different ages at the center, and each group enjoys a unique relationship with her. Although many of these children have never been around a dog prior to meeting Payson, her consistent visits have resulted in a trusting bond. Through activities like brushing her shiny black coat, the children have learned empathy and confidence and their uncertainty has turned into eagerness to be with Payson.

Payson's gentle manners have had an especially profound effect on Allison, a two-year old who is inclined to try and bite Payson, as well as other children. Upon arriving at her therapy visit, Payson displays a soft spot for this little girl by greeting her immediately upon entering the room. On the bi-weekly visits Julie has helped Allison to give her dog a drink of water and softly brush her coat - all while Payson stands calmly. As a result Allison’s behavior has shifted from aggressiveness to giving exuberant hugs to Payson.

A Therapy Dog’s Intuition by Debbie Coons

Debbie Coons shares her two noble Bloodhounds, Beauregard & Georgia, with at-risk youth through Gabriel’s Angels pet therapy program. They share visiting behaviorally challenged teenagers at SHARP school in Mesa and the infants and toddlers at Mt. Shadows Educational Center in Apache Junction. While Beau and Georgia personally greet all the little ones and teens on their visits, they always choose one to that needs some extra attention. Teachers often note how significant those choices were for a particular child that needed the additional attention on that day.

One afternoon at SHARP while Debbie was sitting with the students she noticed that Beau had moved around behind her. When she glanced back to check on him, she witnessed Beau listening intently to a particular teen, Jon, who was carrying on a private conversation with him. Jon was rubbing Beau’s belly and telling him all about the events of the day. It struck Debbie that Beau intuitively understood that this young man needed someone to listen to him.

At Mt. Shadows, Georgia creates a similar impact. A particular two-year old, Evan, is normally quiet and withdrawn. However, when Georgia appears he actually squeals with joy and runs over to give her hugs. As Georgia lingers with this boy, he whispers to her, “Georgia, I love you.”

Other popular activities at Mt. Shadows include the infants brushing the Bloodhound’s silky coats and taking turns giving them a drink of water. Mary enjoys rubbing the lint roller over Beau to “get the hair off.” It is a scene of unconditional love to observe the infants crawling over these large therapy dogs, softly patting their long ears and grinning with delight.

Recently, Beau expressed how he felt to be back at work after a two-month absence due to an injury – for the first few minutes with the teens he ‘talked’ to them as only a bloodhound can! Beau and Georgia, through their steadfastness and character, bring comfort and trust to the teens and toddlers they visit each and every week. They, along with Debbie, are true ambassadors for the impact of Gabriel’s Angels Pet Therapy program for at-risk children and youth.

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