Sign In

Meet Sir Winston

May 28, 2020

Sir Winston Furchill is the poodle puppy who has become the newest and furriest member of the Rainbow House Advocacy Center in Columbia.

Although Winston is only undergoing basic puppy training now, he will eventually have the training to become a certified therapy dog for the center.

Children go to Rainbow House to be interviewed by forensic interviewers about their experiences with severe and sexual child abuse.

Brenda Porter, Rainbow House Program Director, said therapy dogs are great to aid in potentially stressful environments.

A few of the staff members picked up Winston on Thursday, May 21, and Friday, May 22 was his first full day at the Center.

Hilary Eustace, a Forensic Interviewer at Rainbow House, said with proper training Winston will be able to calm children down in the interview process.

“Sometimes when children talk its really raw emotions and so you know they show all different types of upset and crying and anxious,” Eustace said.

The staff at Rainbow House were also excited for his arrival.

Micah Moore, Family and Child Advocate, said he will be a calming presence in a sometimes stressful environment.

“He’s going to serve a purpose for our whole team and not just the families and the kiddos that we serve,” Moore said.

“I think he will provide therapy for all of us in a way and a nice distraction from the tougher content that we work with every day.”

Rainbow House had to cancel their annual fundraiser on April 4 due to the coronavirus but their annual golf tournament is still on for Monday, August 3.

Register your Dog Schedule a Visit

  • Recent News

    Students Get Therapy Dog

    When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]

    Read more

    Therapy Dogtor

    Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]

    Read more

    Therapy Dog Pups

    When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]

    Read more

    Therapy Dogs At School

    Those who own a dog can attest to their ability to lift mood, improve stress and bring joy by simply being there, unanswering, seemingly all-knowing and always delighted to see you.  Therapy animals are known for their calm and comforting nature, giving people a way to relax, de-stress and interact with a loving pet.  They […]

    Read more

    Wonder Dog

    For those of us with dogs, we know they quickly become major parts of the family. You live for and care for just like one of your own children, and one dog right here in Oklahoma City is beating the odds, and helping others recover as a therapy dog, despite all of the issues he’s […]

    Read more

    Scott And Charlie

    Cherokee Middle School students may do a little more “doodling” second semester starting this month (January), but also will improve their attendance marks because of a special attraction at the school, courtesy of Principal Scott Aden. Aden, an effective, caring administrator, has acquired and will house and handle a young female Golden Doodle (Charlie) that […]

    Read more

    Hope For Veterans

    E5 Therapy opened in April with a different way to help veterans in therapy. They offer canine-assisted therapy along with talk therapy to veterans and veterans’ families in Solano County. Owner Matthew Decker is a licensed clinical social worker in Northern California, focused on helping veterans achieve their mental health goals. Along with his team, […]

    Read more