Hospice volunteer gets new leash on life

Lovin' Life
October 2024
by Lin Sue Flood

Marian Wallace loves dogs and loves volunteering, so she put the two together to provide joy to others.

She and her three adorable labs — Richey, Mattie and Harper — are the newest members of Hospice of the Valley’s pet therapy program. They visit youngsters at Ryan House, which provides respite support to families with medically fragile children.

“I quit working to volunteer nine years ago,” said Marian, who enjoyed a successful career in financial services but had a deep desire to support worthy causes. “My checkbook was full, but my soul was empty.”

That was when Marian discovered she’s a “foster failure” — she just can’t part with the dogs she fosters and currently has six! Her puppy, Charlotte, will turn 2 in January and also is becoming certified. “Labs are easy to train and children love them!”

The first time Marian joined Hospice of the Valley’s pet therapy program was about 10 years ago. A friend who had a therapy pet inspired her to rescue and train dogs. She began visiting hospice patients with her first two labs, Shiloh and Amy.

However, the 65-year-old Moon Valley resident’s true passion had always been working with kids, and she spent nearly a decade providing pet therapy to children at Phoenix Children’s, the Phoenix Zoo, Phoenix Public Library — and now, Ryan House.

“It’s that child-animal interaction that I find so incredible,” she said.

Marian helps strangers tell the dogs apart by leash color. When she visits pediatric patients (only one dog at a time, naturally), she puts on quite a show — entertaining the kiddos with jaw-dropping pet tricks. Her pooches know how to give “pawtographs,” count to eight, play hockey table, crawl like babies and sit tight balancing a treat on their noses until Marian gives the OK to munch them.

One of the most endearing qualities she sees in all of her dogs is how intuitive they are, tapping into the mood and emotions of children to comfort them.

Marian feels that rejoining Hospice of the Valley’s pet therapy program is the perfect way to thank the nonprofit agency for caring for her late father and sister — and now, providing supportive care to her 92-year-old mom. “On behalf of my family, I needed to give back to such a tremendously supportive organization.”

Serving precious children alongside her beloved pets is a dream come true for Marian. “Ryan House has always been where I wanted to be.”