Featured Fido July 2025

Rick Hartt and Julia MacDonald and their therapy dog Ally are a well-recognized therapy dog team. Ally is the winner of the Rochester Area Administrator for Volunteer Services 2023 Carol Ritter Wright Award for outstanding volunteer service in the Greater Rochester (NY) area. Rick is Ability Partners Foundation 2023/2024 Volunteer of the Year for his work with Ally, recognized for “empowering people of all ages and abilities to lead their best lives” at pre-school and adult programs at Cerebral Palsy (CP) Rochester, Rochester Rehabilitation and Happiness House in Canandaigua and Geneva, NY.

July 2025 marks Ally’s 10th anniversary as a B&BTD therapy dog.  She has done over 600 program visits in her decade of volunteering. She goes to Cerebral Palsy (CP) Rochester, Happiness House in Canadaigua and Geneva, Rochester Rehabilitation, The Rush NY Library and The Lake Pleasant NY Library.  Many of these are pre-school programs for children with autism, as well as other differently-abled children and adults with traumatic brain injury and other life challenges. Because Ally is known in the Rochester area, she recently had a request from Roth Junior High School in Henrietta, NY to be part of their Life Skills Program. Rick and Julia follow B&BTD’s recommendation and do no more than 2 program visits a week.

Ally was a rescue from Alabama at a little over one year old. The day before she and her eight puppies were going to be euthanized, caring people from the town and a volunteer from Saratoga NY’s Rottie Empire Rescue saved all of them.  Rick and his family adopted Ally and she was certified in July 2015 as a B&BTD therapy dog.

Ally is also certified for TRICKS through AKC, did CPE agility at level 3 (now retired) and passed her National Association of Canine Scent Work (NACSW) scent recognition certification a little over 1 year ago.  These different activities have played a part in her therapy dog work, giving enjoyment to people in the programs she attends.

According to Rick, Ally lives to hear the words “Let’s go see people.” and “Let’s go see kids.” She knows that it is time for fun, and she runs down the stairs to get ready to go, even at her age of 11 ½.  The photo shows Ally at the 2025 Autism Acceptance and Awareness Walk.  We are pleased to share Rick, Julia and Ally’s story as a “Featured Fido” of B&BTD!

Featured Fido May 2022

Soon after Hunter became a registered B&BTD therapy dog with his owner Robert Reeg, they became members of Hudson Valley Paws for a Cause, an American Red Cross partner group. This enabled them to visit the United States Military Academy at West Point and the Veterans Administration Hospital at Montrose, NY.

Their volunteer work there brought them into association with the Tales of Hope Foundation, an organization providing support of our nation’s police and military working dogs. As such, they participated in several events which earned them an invitation to the Animal Medal of Bravery medal ceremony in the US Capitol. This year they thankfully received a lovely certificate from the US War Dogs Association.

Hunter and Robert are proud to provide therapy visits for our cadets at West Point and veterans in the VA Hospital. Hunter’s being a Bright & Beautiful therapy dog has enabled them as a team to help numerous people, from special needs children to wounded warriors over the past 9 years.

Although Robert shared with us that he wishes to thank B&BTD for helping them to provide this service, B&BTD wishes to thank Robert and Hunter for all that they are doing for others! We are grateful to have them as members.