Tonka’s enormous size may seem intimidating. However, he has such a docile temperament that the residents of Cedar Pointe Health and Wellness Suites could not get enough of him.
The adorable Great Dane from Austin, Texas, is among the certified therapy dogs of The Dog Alliance in Cedar Park. For about a year now, Tonka has been busy doing therapy work, regularly visiting schools, senior homes, and many more. However, due to the recent implementation of social distancing for the coronavirus pandemic, the senior center had to stop accepting visits for their residents.
Posted by TONKA The giant therapy dog on Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Courtney Leigh, Tonka’s mom, said that they learned that the therapy visits were temporarily discontinued for containment and safety purposes. This made them miss doing the visits so much. So, Courtney thought about a way for them to continue bringing joy to their friends in the facility.
Thankfully, the senior center’s management was kind enough to agree with Courtney’s plan. Now, Courtney and Tonka are closing the gap through outdoor visits. This means that Tonka sees and interacts with his friends in the facility through the windows.
❤️ Tonka still gets to visit his friends at this senior center in Cedar Park, Texas. 🙏
Posted by Marcus and Sandy on Thursday, March 19, 2020
The window serves as a barrier between Tonka and the senior center’s residents. It provides a safe space for the dog and his handler’s visits. Courtney said that they are so excited that they are able to make their friends in the facility smile. She plans to continue taking Tonka on walks outside the center until the ban is lifted.
The visits are not only a source of happiness to the senior center residents but to Tonka and Courtney too. Whenever Tonka is not busy with his work as a therapy dog, he spends his time at home, playing with his furry siblings named Echo and Faith, who are both deaf. The three of them love hanging out together with their potbellied pig.
