“Willie was just an ordinary dog” – or was
he? Picked from his litter in an animal shelter, Willie
may have seemed ordinary, but a near-death experience
revealed his hidden gifts. Willie’s remarkable “leash
holder” Clyde Hollifield helped Willie recover from his
severe injuries and set him on a path of service as a certified
pet therapy dog.
“Dr. Willie” became the star of a 30 second Little
Pearl while working with ArtSpace Charter School children in
a “read to the dog” program. Little Pearls
is a non-profit organization that creates and distributes inspiring,
thought-provoking “tiny films” for use in many settings.
Dr. Willie’s Little Pearl is a favorite – viewers
laugh with delight at the surprise ending.
Last December, both Dr. Willie and his Little Pearl won awards
in the MY HERO Short Film Festival 2006 in Los Angeles. This
festival celebrates heroes in short film. Willie himself won
a Special Hero Award and his Little Pearl received an Honorable
Mention in the professional category. For more information on
MY HERO, see myhero.com/myhero/go/filmfestival/winners2006.asp
Willie’s person Clyde lives in the country near Asheville,
NC and is a gifted storyteller and inventor. He has highly-developed
intuitive skills in rehabilitating animals, gleaned through 25
years of working with raptors such as hawks and owls. His
creativity and patience were critical after Willie was hit by
a truck and sustained extensive, permanent injuries.
Willie’s puppy energy receded after his accident and rehab,
making him a calmer dog. Clyde’s wife Adrienne realized
that Willie’s own experiences might help him be an empathetic
therapy dog. Willie and Clyde went through the long training
to get certified, and “Dr. Willie” was born. He especially
loves working with children, though he has also worked in hospital
settings.
Dr. Willie is a determined little dog whose excitement shows
in his puffed-out chest and vigorous bouncing when Clyde brings
out his pet therapy vest. Dr. Willie is now officially
retired after 28 dog years as a pet therapist, due to the demands
of this work on his injured body. He is, however, still
available for private sessions at his home office.
A note about
the statues pictured below: Instead of traditional
statuettes, the awards in this MY HERO festival were made by
the subject of the 2005 winning film: Mamadou Diedhiou from Senegal.
Diedhiou is a “bird maker” who creates one-of-a-kind
birds from recycled objects. Little Pearls Board member
Tim Arem, already in Los Angeles, accepted the awards for Dr.
Willie and Little Pearls.
