On any given day at the Youth Resiliency Center, you could find dedicated team members, volunteers from around the community, youth hanging out, or perhaps our furry four-legged therapy dog, Rasta.
Jennifer, our Vice President of Clinical Services and Rasta’s owner, always knew Rasta had the temperament for being a therapy dog, but she never could have imagined the countless ways Rasta would touch people’s lives and provide support.
“Rasta is a natural at his job and seems to gravitate towards the people in a room who really need him,” says Jennifer. “There have been times when he’s gravitated toward certain people or sat under their chair or near them only to later find out that person was recently diagnosed with a disease or going through a heavy emotional issue. He’s got an instinct on top of his training.”
His Training and Beyond
On top of his natural instinct, Rasta also has years of training under his belt, with yearly recertifications through the Platte County Pet Power and Canine Good Citizen programs. In 2019, he became the first courtroom advocacy dog in Kansas City, a specialized training process that included hours of temperament training and testing in the courtroom setting.
Rasta’s ability to sense when someone is struggling and offer support is unparalleled. One instance Jennifer recalls involved a little girl who had to be present in the courtroom while her forensic interview was played.
“It’s an awful thing for these children to have to do,” Jennifer stated. “So Rasta and I were sitting with her watching the interview of her initial telling of the crime. Right when it got to the part where she was about to describe the abuse Rasta got up from where he was lying and went to her and put his paws on her leg! She had expressed no outward emotion or words, but he somehow sensed the energy during the hardest part and climbed her…which he also never does! He always stays all fours on the ground.”
His Impact
Rasta’s recognition in the community is extensive, appearing in magazines, newspapers, TV interviews, and, with the help of Jennifer, even radio. He is also the subject of Pawsitively Rasta, a children’s book about the lives of service dogs.
He was awarded the Volunteer of the Year from Platte Co Pet Power in 2018, the Sara Andrasek Award from the Platte County Prosecutor’s Office in April 2019, and this past April, he was awarded the Kemper Kipp Award from the US Attorney’s Office, Western District.
“Rasta’s ability to sense the energy of people and respond accordingly is truly magical to watch,” says Jennifer. “While I helped him get all the certifications he needed, the actual work is 100% all him. I never dreamed his reach would be so far and wide when he was first starting his therapy dog career. It has been such a humbling and moving experience to watch him touch so many lives.”
