Christmas Day caroling at Alden with SOUL therapy dogs and mini horses

The SOUL Harbour Ranch Animal Therapy Program, the Northwest Suburbs most experienced comprehensive animal therapy program, shared holiday joy with the residents of Alden Estates of Barrington on Christmas Day, a yearly tradition.

The registered volunteer handlers, with two registered, sneaker-wearing miniature therapy horses — Unique and Sunshine — and two registered therapy dogs — Betty and Honey — sang carols inside as they visited residents in their rooms, and they also visited at the outside windows, all SOUL-filled connections.

Sharing of unconditional love is what SOUL’s special therapy animals do best, and what better way to share that love that on Christmas Day? Sharing joy, laughter, smiles, and love is the true healing power of animal-assisted therapy.

The SOUL Harbour Ranch Animal Therapy Program, located in Barrington, is an all-volunteer 501(c)(3) nonprofit comprising over 80 volunteers, with miniature therapy horses, therapy dogs, a therapy cat, miniature donkeys, miniature pigs and one Flemish giant rabbit. They visit and partner with hospitals, veterans, schools, libraries, nursing homes and more. They also mentor the SOUL Buddies Animal Club at Barrington High School.

SOUL is looking for future volunteers that would like to do therapy work with SOUL’s animals or the volunteers’ own animals. SOUL will mentor volunteers on their journey to test with their pets through Pet Partners, the national gold standard for animal-assisted therapy, and then join SOUL.

Check out the SOUL Harbour Ranch Animal Therapy Program at soulharbourranch.org.