After a decade helping others find peace, Petie retires

Joy and sadness have filled certified therapy dog Petie’s life, but he’s always found a way to help others.

Petie has survived cancer twice, but the 13-year-old miniature Schnauzer is officially retiring after 10 years of service.

Petie’s friend Carol Leigh Rainwater Baker of Poplar Bluff said PetSmart Manager Brad Chastain allowed Petie, his human and K9 friends to party there Wednesday.

Petie has been with Baker since a neighbor needed to find the 10-month-old puppy a new home.

“I saw something different in him, something more,” Baker said.

She felt he would be a good therapy dog.

“I’d never done anything like that. I just decided to pursue that with him,” she said.

They went to SEMO Dog Trainers to become certified before starting work at the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center and Oakdale Care Center.

“Residents would end up in the hospital or on hospice,” Baker said. “Hospice was the absolute hardest. We did funerals and visitations. We did birthday parties. We got to have some happy occasions. Whatever people needed, we did.”

Petie has been someone people could talk to, even if they didn’t think they liked animals, Baker said. He has been there for patients on hospice as they died, and calmed those with PTSD.

“They’ll start talking with Petie, telling him their problems but not talking to me. He just relaxes them. It’s therapeutic. You can really learn how to relax and enjoy life,” Baker said.

For one hospice patient, Petie was a regular visitor, once every week.

The woman didn’t have children or grandchildren, and when she felt her time was near, her last request was that Baker bring Petie to visit.

“She told me ‘Carol, there’s something wrong with me. I can just feel it. I want you to promise me Petie will visit me next Tuesday,’” Baker recalled.

When Petie and Baker arrived that day, she explained the request to the nurse, who was hesitant at first, but allowed the tiny therapy dog inside.

“There were so many people in there. Her preacher and hospice. We go in with the nurse, and I get Petie on the bed with her. She was so far gone, but she (was) still with us,” Baker said.

The woman felt Petie, amazing everyone.

“Her hand at once came out of nowhere, grabbed Petie and his reaction to her, he knew, he absolutely knew and he took his little head and he laid it on her chest. He would not let go of her and she would not let go,” Baker said.

Baker recalled the preacher saying, “I don’t care what anybody else says. I know there’s going to be a special place in heaven for that dog.”

A few hours after Petie’s visit, she passed away.

Baker remembers another friend with extreme PTSD, but Petie was able to bring him out of it every time.

Noises affect him mentally.

“He’s very, very afraid of noises. When they mow the lawn, that affects him a great deal,” Baker said.

Because of Petie, and only because of Petie, Baker was able to connect with the man in a way most people can’t.

“It was remarkable getting to know this gentleman,” Baker said. “One day, they were mowing, he was totally freaking out. There wasn’t anything I could do. Petie is the only one who kept bringing him out of it. ... I’m totally helpless as a human, but Petie is able to totally calm this man.”

Petie’s first cancer in 2018 was splenic sarcoma and the second in January involved removal of half of his right lung.

The lung surgery “was a huge, huge surgery for the little guy,” Baker said. “We’re going to find out next month if they were able to get it all.”

The January surgery “was definitely successful because he wouldn’t have made it another 24 hours,” she said. “He was literally dying. He was not eating. He couldn’t even move.”

While Baker said, “he loves to go, go, go, go, he tires more easily now.”

“Always treasure your time with your furry friends,” Baker said. “They are so, so precious.”