Diana McQuarrie
SEPTEMBER 2009 WINNER

AURORA - You can't put it into many words, but "connection" just seems to fit. It's the bond that a human has to a dog, a cat, a horse or a turtle.

Any animal, for that matter, probably has at least one representative four-legged friend that's had a connection with its human counterpart.

Diana McQuarrie can't explain the connection, but in the past eight years, she believes that connection has brought healing to literally hundreds of thousands in the metro area.

"I'm absolutely captivated and fascinated with how the whole human animal bond works," said McQuarrie, founder of Denver Pet Partners, an organization that is now part of American Humane.

McQuarrie's dedication to that partnership over the past eight years is one of many reasons why she was selected as the September 2009 recipient of the 9Who Care award.

Diana's animal-assisted therapy program trains volunteers and their pets how to connect to and provide therapy for patients, elderly and children. Assuming those pets pass a few tests proving they have the right temperament for therapy, volunteers can then schedule an appointment with a hospital, school or care center for visitation.

Owners aren't limited to bringing in dogs like Rigo, McQuarrie's black Lab, when heading into a therapy session. The 200 animal therapy teams consist of combos that include a miniature horse, a Great Dane, along with a Chihuahua, along with a few cats too.

Together, the 200 animal therapy teams touch the lives of more than 90,000 annually in the metro area.

"I think any community needs to have an element of selflessness where people [want] to give to others without expecting anything else in return," McQuarrie said. "What we do at American Humane is empower people to be successful and confident in their volunteering. We don't do it for monetary gain; we do it to help others."

To nominate a volunteer for the 9Who Care award, visit the 9Who Care information page at http://www.9news.com/life/community/whocare/default.aspx.