LEBANON COUNTY, Pa. — A retirement community in Lebanon County welcomed its very first therapy dog on Friday.
StoneRidge Retirement Living Communities welcomed their new dog Melvin while celebrating his therapy certification with a party at Stoneridge Towne Center in Myerstown.
The community hopes Melvin will bring social, emotional, and overall health benefits to its residents.
"They just light up when he comes in, usually all of them love dogs and just to pet [Melvin] calms them and helps them relax," said Tammy Lengel, a nursing home admin with StoneRidge.
Melvin received his therapy dog certification through Pawsitive Hearts Pet Therapy Rescue, an organization dedicated to ensuring therapy dogs are well-trained and effective.