Apollo did not spend his seventh birthday chasing squirrels or sleeping through the day, though both rank high on his list of favorite things. Instead, the Labradoodle marked the occasion by doing what he does best at American Medical Response Clark County: sitting calmly, accepting pets, and offering quiet comfort to the people who need it most.
Apollo turned seven last week on Tuesday, Dec. 23. He is a certified therapy dog with AMR and works alongside his handler and caretaker, Paramedic Supervisor Kanessa Thompson. The pair live in La Center and spend most workdays together at AMR’s Hazel Dell office, where Apollo has become a familiar and welcome presence for crews returning from difficult calls.
Thompson has been with AMR for 18 years, and Apollo has been her partner-in-crime for most of his life. What started as a request from leadership to help with community relations has grown into a partnership that now reaches hospitals, disaster zones, and memorials across the country…