Therapy Animals Visit Harbor Care's Boulder Point Veterans
After nearly a year of COVID-19 precautions, Boulder Point residents were getting a bit of COVID-19 fatigue. When White River Junction VA Medical Center staff decided to haul these vets out of their malaise, the VA’s Creative Arts Therapy Program staff suggested it was a job for donkeys.
They weren’t talking just any donkeys, of course, but Road to Independence donkeys —who, as their name suggests, often hit the road. They can often be found visiting schools and elder care residences as well as attending parades and community events like the Newport Farmers Market. Pepper, Cameo, and Mattie are their names, and they are usually accompanied by their farm director, Margaret Coulter.
“We’ve done therapeutic riding and horsemanship with veterans, but bringing the donkeys to them was a first for me,” says Brooke Robinson-Drew, Creative Arts Therapist. “Donkeys are calming, and their presence can offer a sense of peacefulness.”
While donkeys may seem like odd companions for U.S. veterans, these animals have a long and vital (if little known) history of service during wartime.
In her article, Braying for Battle: The Long Love Affair Between Donkeys and the Military, Sarah Baird explains: “during World War I…Duffy and his soldier-handler… hauled the bodies of 300 injured men out of harm’s way before being gunned down by machine gun fire.” Donkeys’ record of military service goes from 513 B.C.E. when they saved the Persian Army from a Scythian attack, to modern Afghanistan, where they carry much-needed supplies through mountain ranges impassable to trucks and other wheeled vehicles.
Paul Ash and Cameo. Photo credit: Lynne E. Davis, White River Junction VAMC
The bond between military folks and donkeys seems to inspire trust, because the Boulder Point veterans were inspired to tell their stories in the presence of these gentle animals. “I was a Marine Corps squad leader in the Korean War…wounded twice in combat and still contend with those injuries,” Paul Ash explained, as he watched his fellow residents pet, brush, and walk with the donkeys. “But what was most difficult was losing some of my fellow Marines.”
Shaking his head solemnly, he continues. “During the war, the Chinese would leave Marines killed in combat hanging in plain sight, booby-trapped, because they knew we wouldn’t leave them behind.”
Cameo, a soft grey female donkey, seemed to sense Ash’s sadness. She approached him and gazed up into his face with a somber expression.
Ash’s neighbor, U.S. Army Veteran David Maxfield, nodded in sympathy. Maxfield it turns out, is known around Boulder Point for his gourmet cooking skills. Prior to the pandemic, he would often host community dinners in the common room of the building, cooking special meals for his neighbors.
Richard Maxfield with Cameo. Photo credit: Lynne E. Davis, White River Junction VAMC.
“One of my crowd favorites was a pan-seared fish with a white wine caper sauce,” Maxfield said. “I like to experiment with different sauces and flavors. I cook for everyone!”
Ash nodded in agreement. “He’s a damn good cook.”
“I’m an animal person,” Maxfield said. “I found my cat Jo-Jo in the middle of the road in a box. He was homeless, too. But he’s got a home with me now — he’s with me all the time.”
“You know, riding a horse is on my bucket list.” Maxfield said, feeding apple slices and carrots to Cameo. “I’ve never ridden a horse!”
Another Boulder Point resident, Air Force Veteran Richard Williams, appreciated the survival instinct of his four-legged visitors. He suffered four strokes, lost all three siblings, was diagnosed with cancer, congestive heart failure, and COPD — all within five years. Struggling to cope, he became homeless, ultimately ending up at a homeless shelter.
Boulder Point veteran walks with donkey Pepper. Photo credit: Lynne E. Davis, White River Junction VAMC.
“After waking up paralyzed on one side, unable to move, I decided I wasn’t going to just lay down and die,” he said.
It was at the shelter where he met Rob Norris, HUD-VASH Social Worker at the White River Junction VA. With support from Norris and the VA homeless team, Williams moved into Boulder Point about a year ago. “Today, I feel great,” Williams says, scratching Pepper behind the ears. “I’ve been lucky. I love it here. It’s just perfect.”
Norris smiled, watching the veterans bonding with their new friends. “Activities like this are very helpful, particularly during this pandemic,” he said. “It helps build morale and maintain a positive direction for this community.”
Meghan Snitkin, LICSW, Homeless Services Program Manager, agrees. “I noticed today that donkeys seem to be able to read people and respond back according to how we are expressing ourselves. I saw a lot of smiles on peoples’ faces today.”
It’s that very responsiveness that makes animals wonderful companions, and very important to those living in group residences. Read Lynne E. Davis’ article, Jenny and the Vets, to learn more about this special relationship. To read more about the connection between mental health and pets, please visit our recent blog post, Pets of the Homeless.