By Susan Spisak
Despite having “lost the genetics lottery,” as his vet says, special needs Enzo is half of a Pet Therapy Team with his owner through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) to bring smiles to all! Enzo is deaf, mostly blind, and has limited mobility due to severe dysplasia and bad hips. The five-year-old rescued Neapolitan Mastiff was adopted by Dawn Scovel and her partner (who’s media shy, so we won’t name the guy who cares for him, too). Together the family lives in Etna with five other rescued dogs.
Dawn, who was forced into early retirement from her computer programming career due to her own disabilities associated with Lyme disease, has been in rescue for forty years. She’s active with Mastino Rescue, Inc. as well as Old Dogs New Digs, both whose efforts are in-state and beyond. Dawn explained she was at her FL home—she’s a snowbird—when the Mastino group heard about a sickly, underweight stray named Renzo in Alvin, TX, and stepped in. His owner was found but relinquished him—long story short—the easy-going boy was transported by a volunteer to MO for entropion eye surgery and neutering.
Renzo was then transported to TN to meet his foster, Dawn, and together they motored back to the Tampa area. The rescue’s vet partner treated him for worms, heartworm, yeast infections, and parasites, among other things. He cried his first night in her home, and Dawn held him all night. After settling in, he repped the Mastino nonprofit at FL events with his dedicated volunteer foster mom. They bonded, and she and her partner subsequently adopted him. He was renamed Enzo, and spends half his year in FL, the other half in ME.
Dawn is a kind, compassionate person, and she knew her Mastiff would be perfect for therapy work, and as a team they’d make a difference. She trained him on her own and worked around—and with—his disabilities. “He can’t hear or see, so we do things by touch and different pulls on his collar.”
She chose ATD as they provide testing, certification, registration, support, and insurance for animal-assisted activities in a variety of places such as hospitals, schools, and assisted living facilities. Their testing is designed to make sure the duo has a good relationship with each other and that the dog has the right temperament for therapy dog work. “His demeanor is also perfect for it,” she said, adding, “He’s just the sweetest, kindest dog you can ever meet, honestly.”
Dawn explained they went to a Tester’s house for the first test, which involved Enzo ignoring dogs who either walked by or near him. The second test was at St. Leo University in FL where they had to ride elevators and meet students in various areas with a Tester monitoring them. Next were supervised visits with a Tester at a medical facility who instructed, advised, and provided guidance on the visits. They passed and were certified in March of 2024 as a Pet Therapy Team. In FL, they’ve been visiting an assisted living facility as well as a memory care facility near her home. The response is already terrific, and on his visit days they wait for him at the door.
In ME, the Enzo factor is huge, thanks to timing. Ashley Jackson, Title 1 Interventionist who works with all students spanning pre-k to grade 4 at Carmel Elementary School in Carmel, said this all began last year as she was meeting daily with a small group of fourth grade learners to work specifically on their reading comprehension.
“Our group read a text about therapy horses, which really intrigued them to learn more about therapy animals and how they are used in different settings. These students then wrote letters to our administration advocating for why they believed a therapy dog would be an amazing resource for our school, its staff, and students.”
She said a couple of weeks after these letters were written, she was put in contact with Dawn through a mutual friend. “She explained to me that Dawn was looking for Enzo to begin his journey as a therapy dog in a school setting. I was lucky to have an administration that was willing to take a chance and meet with Enzo and Dawn. The rest, as they say, is history. He has been visiting weekly ever since!”
Each week, Ashley sends an email to all classroom teachers, including the special ed teacher, for their recommendations on those who would benefit from an Enzo visit. Sometimes teachers recommend students who need emotional support or help with their reading fluency. Other teachers may suggest students who’ve been a behavior or academic role model in class. Regardless, the number of kids chosen varies weekly.
“Some students bring their own books with them to read, others choose to just visit, cuddle, and give Enzo some pets instead. If a student doesn’t feel comfortable reading aloud, that’s ok. This is meant to be a safe, low-pressure environment for them,” said Ashley. Other students sit and listen to others read, then will choose to read at their next visit.
His effect on all is superb, “The kids and staff absolutely adore Enzo and cannot wait for his return each week.” His effect is outstanding, especially for those who struggle with anxiety, shyness, learning challenges, or they aren’t comfortable reading aloud in their classroom. But with Enzo, it’s different, there is no judgment. “You can absolutely see any tension and/or stress leave the bodies of almost all students and staff when they get to visit with Enzo. Some students choose to immediately cuddle up next to him. Others even lay down directly next to him and hug him. For such a large dog, Enzo is the sweetest, gentlest giant.”
“When students know that it’s an ‘Enzo Day’ there is a buzz of excitement in the school,” she said. He’s so popular, he’s been requested for other schools such as Caravel Middle School. (He also pleases crowds at children’s events—often as Fang, Rubeus Hagrid’s dog in Harry Potter.) “I believe that it has had a really amazing effect on helping create a positive atmosphere in our school. Everyone leaves the visit with Enzo with a smile on his or her face and in a much better mood!”
Ashley said they have learned another important lesson from Enzo. “As educators, we are always emphasizing the importance of hard work and grit. We want students to understand and truly believe that no matter what your limitations and struggles may be, you can achieve big things. Enzo exemplifies this perfectly for students. He works hard to spread joy and love to everyone he meets despite all the extreme challenges he has had to overcome.”
Follow Enzo on Instagram at wheres_enzo. Dawn said it’s so named because wherever she is, everyone of all ages asks her, “Where’s Enzo?”
Please keep Dawn and her family in your thoughts as they lost most everything in their FL home during Hurricane Helene.