Loving residents give birthday party for their caring canine companion
By Eliav Appelbaum eliav@theacorn.com

Photos by IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers BIRTHDAY BOY- Certified therapy dog Marshall, a 9-year-old boxer, celebrated his birthday at the Simi Valley Care Center with his favorite residents and friends on Thursday, Feb. 21. At right, Pam Laurie, left, gets kisses from Marshall's 2-year-old cousin Fancy, as grandmother Ruth Zoglin plays with Marshall.

If every dog has his day, Marshall surely made the most of his.

The certified therapy dog celebrated his ninth birthday last Friday at the Simi Valley Care Center, where he's brightened the spirits of seniors for the past five years.

The boxer got to eat a slice of cake, lick frosting off residents' fingers and bring joy to whoever encountered the rambunctious, friendly dog.

Besides cake, Marshall was treated to liverwurst and bananas while residents sang "Happy Birthday."

The birthday boy did act a little bratty at times.

At one point, hoping no one was looking, he stood on his hind legs, peered across the table and attempted to snare more cake.

"Marshy! No!" his watchful owner Jean De Mill admonished, tugging him back to the floor just in time.

Marshall has made regular appearances at the senior home since 2003, visiting at least twice a month and on all the major holidays.

"These are his stomping grounds," De Mill said. She and her mother, Dorothy Manfredi, had brought three dogs to the birthday party.

Joined by cousins Fancy, 2½, and Naomi, 7, Marshall made himself right at home greeting residents like Virginia Wood.

"I love Marshall. I love the dog," Wood said. "He's excited to see so many people and have this party and cake. Anytime I can see a dog, I love them."

The boxer then visited the bedside of John Richardson.

"John always asks to hear Marshall bark- and he always wants me to tell him a joke," De Mill said.

Resident Ruth Zoglin, a greatgrandmother of three, was also part of the love fest, receiving a bath of licks from Fancy.

"You're such a good puppy for washing my face," Zoglin said.

MARSHALL'S MOMENT- Simi Valley Care Center activity director Katrina Cimmarusti brings out the birthday cake.

According to Katrina Cimmarusti, activity director at the care center, Marshall's therapeutic value is hard to miss.

"A lot of people will respond to Marshall rather than a person," she said. "They light up when they see him. They really look forward to the affection."

Cimmarusti said a horse once trotted along the hallways, and chinchillas and roosters used to make the center their home.

De Mill, who works as an aide for special education students at Sinaloa Middle School, has bred and raised boxers for 25 years. She showed the canines for 10 years but finds greater gratification taking her dogs to visit the sick or elderly.

Marshall began his year-long road toward becoming a therapy dog by taking an obedience class. After that, De Mill worked with Marshall at various facilities for eight months before he was given an evaluation.

A trainer through the nonprofit organization Love on a Leash certified Marshall as a therapy dog, which means he can work with nearly any type of person or facility. He's been certified as a therapy dog for five years now.

"He doesn't have any short fuses and things don't spook him," said De Mill.

Marshall is a little different from most other dogs in other ways, too.

He was born an only puppy, and his mother, who later died of a brain tumor, didn't want to feed him. De Mill bottle fed Marshall and raised him around humans, not other animals. The boxer recently had part of his spleen removed after two masses were found.

"He doesn't think he's a dog, he acts more like a human," De Mill said. "He gets a little carried away when it's his birthday."

After a fun-filled afternoon, Marshall, who also makes appearances at Los Robles Hospital in Thousand Oaks, needed time to relax.

"Next stop, the park," De Mill said. "He needs to go on a walk and unwind."

The Simi Valley Care Center is located at 5270 E. Los Angeles Avenue.