Coming up close and personal with a grizzly bear would be an extremely scary encounter unless it's Grizzly, the 150 pound St. Bernard who has been bringing smiles to people's faces for about six years.
Mark Saler bought Grizzly when he was seven weeks old and now, he's a therapy dog that has been travelling to hospitals in the Prairie Mountain Health region to greet visitors, visit sick patients, and of course, to say 'hi' to the busy hospital staff.
Saler decided to train Grizzly to become a therapy dog because he believes there needs to be more kindness in the world and he knows how a therapy dog can help many people smile.
The father-dog duo visited the hospital in Brandon, Minnedosa, and Neepawa for six years, with stops at the Brandon hospital being weekly while they also made regular visits to the hospital in Neepawa and Minnedosa. And while the visits have stopped because of the pandemic, Mark and Grizzly are waiting patiently for the time when they can get back to the hospital.
"The minute Grizzly walks in the door at the hospital, it's all smiles from everyone we see," said Saler. "He's so recognizable in Manitoba now and he has managed to make so many people smile, when they otherwise may not."
For the past two years, Grizzly has also been invited to the Winnipeg Jets "Hockey Fights Cancer" night. The game offers kids with cancer, free tickets and they get a chance to meet the St. Bernard. Although it won't happen this year because fans aren't permitted inside of Bell MTS Place, Mark says Grizzly will be welcomed back every year and they can't wait until next year's game.
Saler says feedback from the patients and staff has been overwhelming over the years.
"I get private messages all the time thanking me for what I do," offered Saler. "The staff always say how much our visit meant to the patients, so that means so much."
While they can't spend time in hospitals right now, the duo is making sure they make an impact in different ways. Mark decided to buy a bunch of stuffed St. Bernards and from there, he would leave them at the hospitals for the kids until Grizzly can return in person again.
Making a difference:
Grizzly has made such an impact over the years that last year, the Minnedosa Lions Club awarded him with a medal of hope, to go along with $500 to pay for Mark's travel expenses every week.
But Mark wasn't comfortable using the money for that, so instead, it went to purchasing the animals. And after others heard what he was doing, they stepped up to the plate and donated money. In the past two weeks, already 200 stuffed animals have been left at the hospital's and an order has been placed that will see many more stuffed animals heading to Brandon, Minnedosa, and Neepawa for patients and staff.
Mark says he plans on continuing to send stuffed animals to hospitals as long as the great sponsors continue to help fund the project, one that has continued to make patients and staff smile, despite Grizzly not being in person.
From the Minnedosa area, Saler says not only has Grizzy brought smiles and happiness to so many other people but also him as well. From the minute Mark wakes up in the morning until the minute he goes to sleep, Grizzly makes every day better and more enjoyable.
"I honestly couldn't see my life without Grizzly in it, he's just so amazing," ended Saler.
This is Mark's fourth St. Bernard, but it's the first one that he decided to train to become a therapy dog.
