BILLINGS— A nationwide nonprofit is looking for more therapy dogs as their only Montana therapy dog nears retirement.
An 11-year-old golden doodle from Bozeman, Maggie, has comforted people in crisis for six years through HOPE Animal-Assisted Crisis Response. She is the only dog in the state involved in the organization.
Watch to see how Maggie comforts people:
“She's been a marvelous therapy and crisis dog. I mean, she just knows who needs comforting,” said HOPE West Montana Area Coordinator Carol Baumann, who adopted Maggie when she was eight weeks old.
Maggie supported bystanders after a shooter injured a park ranger at Yellowstone National Park in July 2024.
“We went to Yellowstone after the shooting. Maggie must have seen over a hundred employees. And many of them were crying and shaking, and English was not their first language. And they were terrorized,” said Baumann.
Dogs in the organization across the country have also helped out at disasters, such as the fires in Los Angeles.
“When there's a national crisis, they will often bring in teams from other states," said Baumann.
Maggie is close to retiring, and the nonprofit is searching for more dogs to assist people in the state.
“We need more teams in Montana. I've been recruiting. We're going to have assessment and training in Bozeman in June,” said Baumann.
“You're meeting us right here. Carol, Maggie and myself. But we are continually recruiting,” added HOPE Team Leader Harry Schlitz, who has worked with the nonprofit for 16 years.
The team attended the Big Sky EMS Education Symposium in Billings Saturday to educate first responders about therapy dogs, with the goal of recruiting more to the nonprofit.
Schlitz said Maggie brought in a lot of attention.
“We just hold the leash and let Maggie do her magic,” he said.
People and their dogs who join the organization will first be assessed and attend a three-day training.
"The therapy work that they do is usually an hour at the library for the read program or a children's hospital once a week usually. All of a sudden, on our calls, it could be 10 to 12 hour days each day and it's very intense working with victims. It all depends on the circumstances," said Schlitz.
