From the moment Lake City Place Senior Living resident Robert Abbott laid eyes on one-year-old Chihuahua Mannie, he knew they would be friends. Abbott, 81, a World War II veteran, has been a resident at the senior living facility for a year. Previously he lived at The Oaks, a nursing home in Columbia City, where pets are not allowed. Before he moved to The Oaks he had a dog named Foxy, a Collie, who he had to give to his grandchildren. He got the dog to keep him company after his wife, Marjorie, died in 2000 from cancer. The dog died at age 11 from diabetes. “She never bit anybody except my son John when there were two dogs fighting and he reached down to separate them,” Abbott said. “She loved me and always wanted to be with me. I said if she and I died near the same time I wanted her to be in my casket. That’s how much I loved her.” Animal Welfare League Of Kosciusko County makes visits to Lake City Place twice a month to show residents their pets for pet therapy. Mannie visited the facility two weeks ago and immediately had a connection with Abbott. Ashley Minor, Lake City Place life enrichment coordinator, said Mannie has changed Abbott’s life. Minor said Carrie Simcox, nursing director, had asked her to help Abbott exercise because he has a walker and is usually wheelchair bound. Simcox said the community is pet- friendly and all residents have the opportunity to have a pet. “The dog has helped with his socialization,” Simcox said. Minor said Abbott would play bingo to keep busy. “I walked with him and we developed a friendship and started talking and he told me about his first dog,” Minor said. Abbott said Mannie was a small dog and he wanted a small dog. “He came to me when I called his name,” Abbott said. “When they brought Mannie in I decided life wasn’t over.” Abbott went to the AWL two weeks ago and got out of his wheelchair and said “I’m going to get my dog.” The dog had already received its immunizations. He got out of his wheelchair and picked Mannie up and adopted him. Abbott always makes sure to save meat for his dog after he eats in the cafeteria. When Abbott pulls weeds outside in the garden Mannie is by his side. Mannie will be trained to be a dog therapy dog.
