Bits of Love wins therapy award from Veterans

West Milford - JJ the miniature therapy horse was the recipient of the Spirit of Planetree Animal Therapy Award for the Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey Health Care System. At a recent ceremony at the Lyons Campus of the Veterans Administration New Jersey Health Care System, JJ proudly accepted the award with owner, Linda Kearney, founder of the Bits of Love Visiting Miniature Equine Therapy Program. He later visited with residents and staff members who enjoyed a nuzzle and feeding him treats. The Bits of Love program visits special needs facilities with miniature horses that are extensively trained to hoof through hallways, travel in elevators, maneuver around wheelchairs, and visit at patients’ bedsides. JJ and his barnmates are about the size of large dogs, very gentle, and thrive in the attention they get when they are on a visit. The program is run by Kearney, a registered nurse from West Milford, along with her children Kevin and Charlotte. For more information, visit the Web site at www.bitsoflove.org.