When Alex Rose walked into Hospice of the Chesapeake in Pasadena last fall to apply as a volunteer social worker with therapy pets, she grabbed the staff’s attention by bringing in a ferret. Rose was already volunteering through Pets on Wheels, and was one of the few who specialized in exotic animals. At the time though, the hospice organization, mostly brought therapy dogs to the homes of hospice patients.
“Little did we know, she was talking about exotic pets,” says Mary Jermann, director of volunteer services for Hospice of the Chesapeake, who interviewed Rose that day. “We were hesitant about the idea of exotic pets interacting with the patients.”
But Rose knew exactly what she was doing. She had already worked with a variety of ordinary and out-of-the-ordinary animals during her five years as a volunteer for Pets on Wheels.
And she knew how effective these animals were in therapeutic settings. Since 2016, the 29-year-old licensed social worker has run her own company, Ferrets and Friends, which puts on demonstrations and interactions at schools, summer camps, children’s parties, and community events.
With Hospice of the Chesapeake, she brings five different pets, including two parrots, two ferrets, and a chameleon, on her visits to residents around the county. Those are only a few of the 44 animals she lives with in her Linthicum residence. She also has a tarantula and a Chinese water dragon, as well as lizards, snakes, and a tortoise. “I used to do suicide work,” says Rose, who managed suicide hotlines for Contact Lifeline in Wilmington, Delaware. “I saw the tragic end of life. This is a very different experience and that’s why I wanted to get involved. I get to see people who had full, long lives, who finally reach the end of their life. I feel honored that people let me into their lives and loved one’s lives.”
The biggest obstacle that Rose’s innovative approach faces today is how demanding it has become. For her business—including looking after the health and wellbeing of her pets—Rose puts in long hours during the summer, working 70 to 80 hours a week. “I think the biggest challenge is the number of requests we are getting,” Jermann says. “It’s really increased in popularity, so she’s had to pull back a little bit because of her other commitments. That’s been the biggest surprise of all.”
The real star of the show and most requested member of her animal menagerie is her one-year-old parrot named Jubilee. Rose and Jubilee spend 15 minutes to an hour with the patients they visit.
“She is a rainbow bird,” Rose says. “I think that just makes people really excited to see her. She has a lot of personality. Sometimes she talks, but not always. Sometimes, they hold her, give her treats, or pet her. They will talk about the memories they have of seeing birds like her.”
The chameleon, named Genie, is also a big hit with some of her hospice patients who are terminally ill. She gets emotional when recalling one specific family. “I had a request for the chameleon from this family,” says Rose. “They are from Africa and they had chameleons in their backyard. The gentleman’s daughter and another family member were in the room.”
“The most important thing is thefamilies,” she adds. “It’s not justabout the individuals.”
Pets on Wheels Executive Director Gina Kazimir is deeply moved by the commitment and dedication that Rose brings to her volunteerism. “She calls her work sacred,” Kazimir says. “I think the meaning she gets from it is very deep and very powerful. She creates a sense of connection, compassion, and community for the people she is visiting and her pets.”
Rose, a native of Newark, Delaware, has been volunteering since 2011 for some important causes. She worked for Easter Seals, providing support services for adults with developmental disabilities, and the Wellspring Student Wellness Program, where she served as a victim advocate and as an on-call crisis-support counselor for sexual assault victims.
But it’s the animals that keep Rose busy nowadays. She doesn’t ever see herself living without them. “I come from a family of animal lovers,” she says. “I always had different animals and it started with the ferrets.”
For more information on Hospice of the Chesapeakevisit Hospicechesapeake.org.
