The last thing Lisa Edwards needed was a new dog in her life. But when she came across an abandoned litter, her heart went out to the runt who walked into walls and couldn’t steady his feet. Lisa —healing from past abuse— saw a little bit of herself in Boo and knew he had to be hers. The dunce of obedience class with poor eyesight and a clumsy gait, Boo was the least likely of heroes. Yet, with his unflappable spirit and boundless love, Boo was able to change countless lives through his work as a therapy dog—helping a mute six-year-old boy to speak, coaxing movement from a paralyzed girl, and stirring life in a ninety-four-year old nun with Alzheimer’s. But perhaps Boo’s greatest miracle is the way he transformed Lisa’s life, giving her the greatest gift of all—faith in herself. Thanks to Boo, a little over a month ago, Lisa and her husband Lawrence had the courage to adopt a baby boy. Now their family is complete with three dogs (including Boo) and a new born son.
Lisa J. Edwards is a full-time professional dog trainer and behavioral consultant. She has been a registered Delta Society Pet Partner with three of her dogs and has made more than 400 visits with her pets to hospitals, schools, nursing homes and residential care facilities. In 2008, Boo was honored as one of five finalists for the Delta Society’s national Beyond Limits Award for his therapy work with Lisa.
Lisa trains both animal and human teams for Animal Assisted Therapy work and has been a regular Humane Educator in the Yorktown School District for the last six years. As the former Director of HART Programs, Inc. Lisa has set up various Animal Assisted Therapy Programs in the Hudson Valley and NYC areas.
To learn more about Lisa Edwards, visit http://www.threedogstraining.com.
For more about Edwards’ book, A Dog Named Boo, visit http://a-dog-named-boo.com.
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