Our Founder

“I retired and put my dog to work!”

This was one of her favorite sayings and she did just that. She had rescued Sam, a Yorkie, from a shop window, and realized that, everywhere she went, he brought smiles to people. She saw a therapy dog in CA and realized that Sam could do that. She had trained Sam at GT Dog so she went back and asked them if they could get a Therapy group together. They suggested that she organize it, and that’s exactly what she did! In 2006, Therapy Pals of GT Dog was formed, with 3 other interested members and their dogs. The very first visit was to a nursing home in Argyle. Other facilities were added gradually, and in 2011, Therapy Pals was recognized by AKC as the first club in Denton and the second in North Texas to earn this honor.

She and her beloved Sam visited the University Behavioral Hospital, nursing homes, the Juvenile Detention Center, libraries and schools on a regular basis. Harriet organized and headed up the training program, and set up visiting requirements. The Group grew from the original 4 dogs to about 60 dogs before shutting down due to Covid in March 2020.

She lost her beloved Sam in January 2020, but, in her indomitable way, she continued her valuable work with Candi, an adorable Golden Retriever whom she also rescued. She had realized from the beginning, that this valuable work could change people’s lives even in a small way. Regular visits at the different facilities gave people something to look forward to.

Recovery after the Covid shutdown was slow as facilities needed to be careful, but, under her guidance, Therapy Pals continued to visit where they could. There were about 40 Therapy dogs who returned to their “work”. 

She had some health setbacks, but was determined to “keep on trucking” and this she did.

She lost Candi in November 2022, Candi was such a happy dog, but Harriet took comfort in knowing that her beloved dogs were in Heaven and happy to be together.  

Determined to keep up her Therapy Pal visits, she rescued Paris in December 2022 and put her through training. She took Paris everywhere with her, undeterred by Paris’s quiet, sweet nature, so different from Sam!

On Dec 23rd 2024, Harriet made her last visit to JDC, and passed peacefully away on Dec 31st 2024. She left Therapy Pals with a true legacy of commitment to making people feel better through the comfort and joy of our Therapy dogs, and her good work will carry on through Therapy Pals of GT Dog.