Loving Animals Providing Smiles (LAPS)

It’s Easter Bobby here to wish everyone a hoppin’ good time, however you celebrate this lovely spring day. Bobby is hoping for an egg hunt on the beach! #LAPS_aat #therapydoginhawaii

Therapy dog Mamba (left) and her pal Luna (right) met the Easter Bunny! Ears up, everyone! We hear there will be egg-hunting soon. : Black German Shepherd Mamba lies next to seated black on tan GDB Luna. A very large costumed Easter Bunny is seated behind them, with a backdrop of bunnies, eggs and baskets. Mamba and Luna are showing perfect attention to the photographer and their best big dog manners.

Over 15 years ago, Loving Animals Providing Smiles first developed our specialized CAPERs (Children and Pets Enjoy Reading Success) program in memory of our cofounder, Carolyn Lenzi. An elementary school educator, Carolyn was passionate about the benefits therapy pets could bring to the education and reading experiences of youth in our community. LAPS has contnued to grow the curriculum and expand our offerings over the years, shifting to Zoom-CAPERS for 2020, while looking f...orward to in-person programs and how those may need to adapt for 2021. We know Carolyn is smiling down on us today, as two new CAPERS teams completed their training this morning. Congratulations to Amanda and Quinn, and Nanette and Belle, our two newest CAPERS teams!! Many thanks to Sheryl de, Marilane, Gwenn, Michelle and Laura P-P for showing your flexibility as we shifted this normally in-person class to Zoom. Good job, everyone! #LAPS_aat #therapydog #readwithdogs #librarydog #volunteer

Future LAPSer Doug wishing everyone a happy National Take a Walk in the Park Day! He hopes all his doggy pals and their people had a chance to enjoy the lovely spring weather today. : Tri-colored Cattledog/Aussie/Golden mix Doug cruises along a dirt path through manicured lawn at Benicia Community Park. He’s enjoying the smells and taking advantage of the full length of his leash, so handler Laura is not in the photo #LAPS_aat #walkyourdog #takeawalkintheparkday

Sad news from the Pacific Northwest: former LAPSer Sue had to say goodbye to handsome Greyhound Bullet earlier this week. Before they moved away, Sue and Bullet were an active LAPS team for 5 years. Therapy Dog Bullet was beloved for his soft coat, loving gaze, calm personality, and gorgeous smile. His long legs and striking colors made him stand out at activities such as the Walk for Alzheimers, where he was a really good sport about wearing a LAPS sandwich board sign, and e...veryone loved him in programs. Bullet was a calm and loving visitor in our senior and assisted living programs, and a favorite reading with children at the Vacaville Town Center Library. Bullet and Sue were even featured in a newspaper article about the library's "Paws to Read" activities. All of us at LAPS send our deep sympathies and loving thoughts to Sue. Bullet was a wonderful dog and we know how much you will miss him. We're so glad you shared him with us and our clients. Rest well with the LAPS angels, sweet Bullet.

LAPS behind-the-scenes: snuggled behind Benson and Cindy, future LAPSer Bloomie had the coziest seat in the house during a recent Zoom CAPERS program. Bloomie was sound asleep while big brother Benson read with children online. #sleepingcutie #LAPS_aat

COVID-19 update February 2021 Happy 2021! We hope you and your loved ones are staying safe and well. While our indoor therapy animal visits remain on hold, our dedication to facilities, staff, clients, and our own volunteers, has not. Loving Animals Providing Smiles and Mini Hooves Providing Smiles are now supporting many locations in inventive ways. Some LAPS Teams are using Zoom to participate in library reading programs, and others have recorded videos to brighten the ...lives of residents and staff in retirement communities. Our MHPS teams created heartwarming Holiday postcards and LAPS is following up with Valentine cards, both given to residents in multiple facilities. Looking ahead, we’re expanding our commitment. Whether via phone, email, mail or digital, LAPS and MHPS are ready to work with even more communities and facilities to bring back the power of the human-animal bond. With our furkids by our sides, we’ll continue to do this with safety, kindness, joy, and appreciation in our hearts and minds. Please keep up with our activities via Facebook. LAPS and MHPS eagerly look forward to the time when we can be together again in person, sharing hugs, smiles, and stories. Until then, we look forward to connecting online and with social distance. With much love and gratitude, the Board and Volunteers of LAPS and MHPS. #LAPS_aat #therapypets #animalassistedinteractions #animalassistedtherapy #therapydog #therapycat #therapyhorse #therapydonkey #napavolunteer #solanovolunteer #sonomavolunteer

Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy this LAPS Valentine Wishes video produced for our older adult and memory care facility programs. Many thanks to Judy Gamet Dogs Can Dance for creative design, choreography, production and freestyle training, and to all the LAPS teams who participated. We are sharing love in new ways https://youtube.com/watch?v=2ULcVKLCrPc&feature=share

Wishing everyone a happy Valentine's Day!

So many exciting things happening at Loving Animals Providing Smiles this month! We have Zoom reading sessions with Library and Elementary students, a special Valentines Day video going out to our older adult and memory care programs, Practice and Play team meet ups, work on website improvements, Board activities, training and other future plans in the works, and so much more. It feels good to be heading into 2021 with renewed energy and joyful teams! #LAPS_aat #therapydogs #therapyhorse #therapycat

Our hearts go out to LAPSer Colette, who said goodbye to dear little LAPS therapy dog Opal recently. A LAPS therapy dog since 2018, Opal was a versatile little sweetheart who loved to participate in programs with older adults and with children, Opal was also part of our special unit, participating in group visits with the mini horses. Opal was equally comfortable with mini horses or dogs in LAPS’ programs. She had a fine time visiting with children at Vacaville Town Square ...Library’s Fur and Feathers event, shown in some of the collage photos. Colette and Opal also attended programs at Paramount House in Vacaville and other locations. Her adorable squishy face and perky ears brightened clients’s days and helped Colette engage them in conversation. So much love was packed into that little dog and her darling personality. Opal was a bundle of love in action, and she will be deeply missed. Thank you for sharing your joy with us and our LAPS clients, Opal. Rest well until we meet again. See more

Wishing a happy first gotcha day anniversary to future LAPSer Miss Reno! Love ya, sweetie

What does it look like when current and future LAPS therapy dogs and their handlers work together to safely brush up skills? Just ask the drivers who slowed down to watch or honked and waved this morning. It looks like fun, because it is! It was wonderful to be together while safely apart in the glorious February sun. We’re getting ready for more open air programs by working on pet parade walks, and sit, down, wave, spin and more, on sidewalks, lawns and dirts. Most of our do...gs are used to visiting indoors, so working with outdoor sights, sounds and sniffs can be distracting. Happy to report this great group handled it paws down. When facilities are ready for our teams, these handlers and pups will be set to visit outside or in. Pictured, LAPSers Michelle and Bo, Mark, Laura and future LAPSer Doug, Lisa and Ty, Cindy and Neal with Benson and future LAPSer Bloomie, Clare with Abby, and Fred with future LAPSer Koa, and the gang practicing Pet Parade and outdoor program skills. #LAPS_aat #volunteer #therapydogs #beniciapark