When Liz Fahnenstiel retired at 38 years old, she finally had time to welcome a dog into her life again. She had no idea that one dog and a conversation would lead to more than two decades of volunteering and, seven dogs later, a legacy of meaningful moments.
“I knew Betsy Pullen, one of the originators of Community Spay Neuter Initiative Partnership (CSNIP), and she knew about West Michigan Therapy Dogs,” Liz recalls. “It all started with a conversation there.” Liz’s first therapy dog, Jake, a Golden Retriever, joined WMTD in 2003.
“I wanted to share my dog with others and hopefully make their days a little better.”
More than 20 years later, that mission has remained the same.
Today, Liz volunteers alongside Emma Rose, an English White Labrador Retriever born on October 27, 2021. Together, they visit libraries, hospitals, and the court system while also participating in special events like O’Malley Camp, Burn Camp, and other community programs. Among all of their visits, Mary Free Bed and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital have become two of their favorites.
One visit in particular has stayed with Liz over the years of volunteering.
Early in her time with WMTD, she and her therapy dog, Justin (as seen in the photo above), were visiting a young girl in the hospital. The room was filled with family members who were doing their best to stay positive despite the circumstances.
“I asked the girl if she wanted Justin on the floor close to the bed or on the bed,” Liz remembers. “Her immediate response was, ‘Oh, on the bed.'”
Justin gently climbed up beside her and settled in. “He couldn’t get close enough to her. I don’t think you could have fit a piece of paper between them,” Liz recalls. The young girl smiled as she hugged Justin while her family lovingly petted him alongside her. After the visit, a staff member quietly shared that the child was receiving end-of-life care.
“It was pretty early in my years with WMTD, so I didn’t have a lot of experiences to compare it to,” Liz says. “I found myself both sad and glad as I moved to the next room. It wasn’t fair that such a young girl was going to pass so early in her life. But I was glad that Justin could bring some smiles to her and her family during such a sobering time.”
Experiences like that continue to inspire Liz’s commitment to therapy dog work.
Although she’s always considered herself “a Golden person” and says she’ll always have at least one Golden Retriever, Emma’s story came as an unexpected surprise. A friend who helped care for young puppies from several breeders introduced Liz to a litter of Labrador Retrievers. Every time she visited, one little yellow Lab would make a beeline for her, eager to be petted.
“I said in passing that the little girl would make a great therapy dog.”
The breeder had originally planned to show the puppy in conformation, but when her teeth didn’t come in perfectly straight, those plans changed. Soon after, the breeder asked Liz if she would be interested in bringing the puppy home.
“Within two weeks, her name was Emma Rose Fahnenstiel. I guess someone was looking out for me.”
Emma has since become a beloved therapy dog, carrying on the legacy of the therapy dogs who came before her.
Looking back on more than two decades with West Michigan Therapy Dogs, Liz says the experience has been unlike anything else. “This group and the folks it serves have been the most fulfilling experience in my life.”
Then, speaking for every therapy dog she’s shared with the community over the years, she adds, “Ruff, ditto, ruff.”
Support stories like Liz & Emma’s by helping more therapy dog teams reach the people who need them most. You can make a difference by donating to help sustain community visits and training programs, or by become a volunteer handler and sharing the comfort of a therapy dog in your own community.