USA Swimming, the sport’s national governing body, has partnered with Paws & Think, Inc., a nonprofit in Indianapolis that connects people with therapy dogs.
About 60 therapy dogs have been in the athletes’ lounge every day since the Olympic swimming trials began June 15 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. Their main purpose is to provide comfort to the roughly 1,000 swimmers under intense stress as they try to qualify for the Paris Summer Olympics.
“You see the dogs lying here, they have no idea what’s going on, they’re just here to be with people and it’s wonderful,” said Carson Foster, a competitive swimmer who made the Olympic team. “It’s one of the highlights of coming to the pool every day.”
Tensions tend to run high at big sporting events, and therapy animals can help ease that tension: Studies show that being with a dog can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and ease depression.
“Our entire therapy team is here to provide comfort and joy,” says Ashley Koester, executive director of Pose & Think, “and it’s a time for athletes to decompress.”
While all of the therapy dogs are welcomed by swimmers, one in particular has left a most meaningful mark: Izo, a 10-and-a-half-year-old Labrador-Husky mix who was recently diagnosed with terminal bone cancer.
Izzo has worked as a therapy dog for the past eight years, helping people of all ages in schools, libraries, medical facilities and sporting events, and the Olympic Trials will be his final assignment.
“We couldn’t have imagined a more perfect event to conclude his career,” said Megan Montague, Izzo’s handler and Paws ‘n’ Think volunteer. “It was such a rewarding event for him.”
After learning of Izzo’s impending retirement, USA Swimming decided to make him an honorary member of the Olympic team.
“Izzo is a lovely kid,” USA Swimming’s communications director Nikki Warner said, “and we felt it was the right decision to make him an honorary member of our team.”
Izzo’s vet said he probably has a few weeks to live, maybe a few months if he’s lucky.
“My husband and I are still coming to terms with it,” Montague said. “He was a once-in-a-lifetime dog.”
He’s known in the community as a dog that “spreads smiles and joy everywhere,” she said. “He’s a really friendly dog.”
Montague said he’s lacking energy these days, but he still walks laps around the players’ lounge and says hello to all the players, and he still takes his job very seriously.
“Despite the effects of cancer, he approaches his treatment with the same enthusiasm as always,” Montague said.
“He’s soothing and reminds me of home,” she added, noting that many of the players are from out of state and don’t have their own dogs with them.
Montague, whose mother is a teacher, realized Izo would make a good therapy dog when she brought him into her third-grade class. The kids, and Izo, fell in love with him.
“I saw that Izzo was really full of life, and I thought the same,” Montague said. “He loves people and he loves to be petted.”
Izzo, who also worked as a therapy dog at the 2017 FINA World Junior Aquatics Championships, was presented with an Olympic selection medal.
Montague said being a former competitive swimmer made her even more excited to take part in the qualifiers.
The swimmers said they are excited to have Izzo on board as an official teammate.
“I just told Izzo, ‘Congratulations on being an Olympian,'” Foster said. “He has a little more experience than me, but I’m excited to be an Olympian with him.”
Montague said Izzo seemed pleased with the extra attention.
“He definitely feels the love,” Montague said.
