Helping Heal “One Paw Print at a Time”

By: Ashley Hilbun

      Many of you who are reading this have probably noticed Chewy, Orgeron Vet Hospital’s mascot who roams around and looks over the clients of the clinic. You might not be aware that he also looks over many other people as well. That goofy black lab is a working therapy dog! Chewy is six years old, and has been doing therapy work for half of his life.  In 2017 alone, he completed over 93 hours (about 62 visits) worth of therapy in Acadiana.
         When Chewy was given to Doctor Orgeron as a puppy, his original plan was to train him as a hunting dog. It didn’t take long for him to realize, however, that the only thing he would be hunting is a bowl full of kibble. You could say that he is our office dishwasher, as he cleans his dishes and everyone else’s too, whether they like it or not! With that in mind, he has been employee of the month for six years in a row.
       However not all of the credit can go to Chewy; Susan Kleiner deserves some recognition for being the best handler around. She took on the responsibility of working with Chewy during his training process and continues to help him be the best therapy dog in town. Together they help bring joy to many of the hospitals, nursing homes, and schools in the Acadiana area. All of us at Orgeron’s are very proud of the work that they do and we can’t wait to see what 2018 has planned for them!