11/26/2024
“Rediscovering love through fur”
At one of our visits to Daphne in 2022, I experienced a moment that captured the profound impact of our work. A staff member approached me, pointing out a resident—a quiet, older woman sitting alone at the back of the room, she informed me this resident was unlikely to participate and that she is primarily nonverbal.
She didn’t interact with anyone, and as I introduced myself and my furry and scaly friends, she remained unresponsive, her expression a mix of disinterest and a faint scowl.
As I made my way around the room, offering residents the chance to cuddle a bunny in their lap, I asked her twice. Both times, she silently shook her head “no.” Yet something about her demeanor pulled at me. After the crowd thinned and many residents had left, I decided to try again. I pulled up a chair beside her, gently placed a bunny in my lap, and leaned in to talk to the little animal.
“What a good job you’ve done today,” I said to the bunny, my voice soft and encouraging. “I know you want pets, but I’m sorry—my hands are just too tired right now.”
I noticed the woman watching the bunny closely. Her previously tense expression had softened ever so slightly. Slowly, I extended my hand toward her and asked, “Would you be willing to pet him for me? My hands are just too tired.”
That’s when it happened—a spark of joy. Her eyes lit up as she reached out to touch the bunny’s soft fur. For the first time that day, her expression shifted entirely. The scowl faded, replaced by a genuine smile. Encouraged by her newfound confidence, I asked if she would like to hold the bunny in her lap. This time, she didn’t just nod. She spoke, her voice clear and assured: “Yes.”
The moment the bunny settled into her lap was nothing short of magical. She began to talk—first hesitantly, then with increasing ease. For ten minutes, we chatted about her childhood on a farm, where she had spent her days caring for the animals. Her face glowed as she recounted those memories, as if the bunny had unlocked a part of her heart long forgotten.
Before I left, she looked at me with tears in her eyes and said words I will never forget: “I had forgotten what that love felt like. Thank you.”
This moment reminds us why we do what we do. For individuals like her, our animal therapy program is not just a visit—it’s a bridge to joy, connection, and healing.
Melissa Lambert
Director/ Founder
Gordon’s Healing Haven
