((Left) The nonprofit was named to spread the joyful spirit of Romeo, an Australian Labradoodle. (Right) Pets distributed to a local assisted nursing facility came with an adoption certificate and care instructions | Photos courtesy of Romeo’s Joy)
It all started with Romeo, an Australian Labradoodle, who — with his owner Cheryl Pellerin — trained to become a certified pet therapy team. “Romeo passed the tests — which included reacting to loud metal bowls being dropped behind us, and being cut off with wheelchairs — with flying colors,” Pellerin said, “and subsequently spread joy at children’s hospitals and care facilities for many years. The kids and nursing staff were always ecstatic when we visited.”
As is suggested by numerous studies, pet therapy can positively impact the quality of life for those living alone or in care facilities by helping combat the serious effects of social isolation and loneliness. These effects include an increased risk of conditions such as heart disease, strokes, obesity, depression, sleep problems, anxiety, and dementia, and even premature death from all causes.
However, as Pellerin learned when her own mother developed Alzheimer’s disease, some people may not be able to care for and/or afford a live pet. Some may suffer from allergies, while the companionship of a live pet may inadvertently result in a fall or injury to an older person or someone with a disability.
Armed with problem-solving skills developed during years of experience with IT projects, Pellerin came up with a solution: she purchased an animatronic dog from a company called Joy for All. “My mother’s response was incredibly positive as she now had her own Romeo,” Pellerin said.
After the inevitable passing of both her mother and Romeo, Pellerin — who moved with her family to Sisters in 2020 — attended a talk on the subject of grief sponsored by Citizens4Community, a non-partisan nonprofit that fosters a connected community in and around Sisters by encouraging civility, collaboration, and civic engagement. “The talk brought back unresolved grief on my part, and I decided to turn it around and make the experience a positive one.”
Pellerin chose to design a community project that would continue sharing Romeo’s joyful spirit — named Romeo’s Joy — utilizing the animatronic pets that worked so well with her mother — but immediately recognized that “I didn’t know anything about forming a nonprofit.”
So she turned to another local organization — Age Friendly Sisters Country (AFSC) — which, according to its website, was “created to support our neighbors and friends who have the ideas and passion to help Sisters grow into a place where we can thrive at every age and every life stage — 8 to 80.”
By serving as a fiscal sponsor, and helping complete legal paperwork and other administrative tasks,” AFSC — as Pellerin can vouch — makes “it easy for resident-led initiatives to get off the ground and have an impact quickly.”
Legalities resolved, Pellerin also needed to “educate people about the positive effects of animatronic pets, which can be challenging. Many don’t really get it.” Those she selected from Joy for All — dogs, cats, and birds — are designed with sensors that enable them to respond to touch, sound, and light by movements such as turning their heads, wagging their tails, opening and closing their eyes, and licking their paws. The animals also make sounds like purring, meowing, chirping, soft snoring, and barking.
Organizations that have tried animatronic pets — including the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) — report that they “have brought comfort, connection and therapeutic benefits to veterans with memory loss, dementia and depression. Patients tend to calm down when they have someone or something to nurture.” As Pellerin noted, “this calming effect can be very important for caregivers.”
Seeking help in delivering the first 15 Romeo’s Joy pets to a local assisted living facility, Pellerin, through a teacher at Sisters Middle School, enlisted 5th graders belonging to The Sunshine Club. Equipped with adoption certificates and instructions on caring for the animals, “they were so polite and proper. It was a big hit,” Pellerin said, leading to subsequent “opportunities to meet seniors living alone.”
As one older recipient shared, “Now I have something to say ‘good night’ and ‘good morning’ to.”
Animatronic animals have also been distributed to residents of a local facility that teaches life skills to its residents. “As I understand, one young man bought a collar and name tag for his pet,” Pellerin said. “Now he’s looking for a dog sitter who can take care of his pet while he goes out of town on vacation.”
Pellerin, who has distributed a total of 42 pets to date, and “continues to discover more care facility residents in need,” can be reached through the website.
