Northpinellas: Women use furry friends to warm hearts

Toby, a 4-year-old Yorkshire terrier and more or less 10 pounds of gold and gray-blue fluff, was waiting as one of his housemates, Charley, a 9-year-old Pomeranian, got attention from Phyllis Larkner, a resident of Freedom Square's Seminole Nursing Pavilion.

"I love dogs," said Larkner, 98, as she gently stroked the animal. "I always had them around."

Toby and Charley were on their twice-monthly visit to Freedom Square with their owners: sisters Diane and Linda Miles. The other three pets who accompanied them are all shelties (sheepdogs): Carly, Sandy and Stoney.

"Toby is a regular Mama's boy, and he gets a little jealous," said Linda Miles as the sisters and the dogs made their rounds. "He likes me to hold him a lot."

Diane, 48, and Linda Miles, 51 , share a house across from Seminole City Park with their nine dogs and four cats. "We usually take up to five dogs," said Linda Miles. "But some of our dogs are getting too old."

For their efforts, the sisters -- who have been visiting elderly residents for 11 years -- were presented with Distinguished Service Awards earlier this month by Freedom Square officials. Their trophies and plaques now occupy a place of prominence in their home.

"We were thrilled to be recognized," said Diane Miles, a Seminole High School mathematics teacher for 23 years and head of the department for the past several years.

"We do it because we know how much joy it gives people," she said.

On the first and third Fridays of each month, the sisters spend about two hours visiting various parts of the Freedom Square complex including the independent living residences' great halls, the Seminole Nursing Pavilion and The Inn at Freedom Square nursing home unit.

To prepare for the visits, the sisters try to bathe or at least comb each dog. "No one likes to pet a stinky dog," Linda Miles said.

"Some weeks, it's hard to get going," said Diane Miles. "But, when you see the patients react positively to the dogs' visits, it sort of recharges your batteries."

Her sister, who is currently unemployed, agreed. "The dogs are pretty well behaved and rarely bark. They are used to being petted or sitting in someone's lap."

The Miles sisters are part of Project PUP, which has been providing animal-assisted therapy in the Tampa Bay area, and particularly Pinellas County, since 1985.

Project PUP, which stands for Pets Uplifting People, is a volunteer organization operated by the Pinellas County Cooperative Extension Service. It includes about 200 to 250 volunteers and hundreds of canines.

"The dogs had to go through a screening process before we could bring them," Linda Miles said. "They can't be afraid of wheelchairs, walkers or unusual noises."

As she spoke, Stoney, who is 3 years old, barked at Mittens, a feline resident in one wing of the Inn nursing home. Mittens was taking a cat nap in a chair, but kept one eye fixed on Stoney.

"Hello-oh!" Linda Miles said to Stoney, while pulling gently on the leash. "Are you just realizing Mittens the cat is here? She's been here every time we've visited."

Caroline Schneider, Freedom Square's campus activities director, accompanied the women and their canine friends Friday.

"It's interesting to see the different reactions," she said. "For instance, sometimes Alzheimer's patients don't remember that they didn't like dogs before and they reach right down and pet the animals."

As the entourage walked along the various corridors, Charley stopped at the wheelchair of Charles "Chuck" Vitous, 89. Linda Miles gently put Charley on Vitous' lap.

"Charley, meet Chuck," she said.

Chuck Vitous' wife, Peggy, stood nearby. "I think it's lovely to have the dogs here. Before we came to live here (at The Inn at Freedom Square), Chuck loved having animals around."

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