SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 15, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Ted O’Connell, Zephyr Real Estate agent, has another vocation in addition to his successful career as a Realtor®. He and his sidekick, Kip, an 11-year old Border Collie/Aussie Shepherd mix, are regular visitors to Victorian Manor, an assisted living facility in San Francisco, where Kip works his magic with the residents. Kip has been specially trained by the San Francisco SPCA to enhance the human-animal bond and to encourage healing for those facing physical, mental or educational challenges.
“When Kip visits us at Victorian Manor, he spreads a refreshing energy full of joy and love to each resident. Kip brings back fond memories of beloved pets from long ago for many in our facility,” remarked Laura Katz, Director of Activities. “I can see the love and appreciation on so many faces as Kip and Ted patiently make their rounds, like sunshine spreading through the room. Victorian manor is blessed and grateful for their many visits!“
Victorian Manor is a family-owned assisted living facility serving both long- and short-term needs. Their goal is to foster choice, independence, individuality and privacy and to lend a helping hand as needed.
“Yesterday afternoon was a really heartwarming, rewarding experience at our nursing home visit, but it can also be sort of exhausting in some ways as the connections we make with the residents in the memory care unit are beautiful and sad at the same time,” commented O’Connell. “Kip just goes on instinct, making connections and bringing people joy, reaching into their souls to connect with a piece of themselves that they can’t necessarily always reach on their own in their present state.”
Pet Therapy is rapidly becoming a well-recognized adjunct to more traditional forms of health management, particularly with the growing senior citizen population. SFSPCA has more than 300 daily volunteers who make 3,500 visits each year to 225 sites in San Francisco. Those sites include hospitals, nursing homes, senior centers, psychiatric facilities, developmentally disabled centers, convalescent homes, and youth facilities. Ted and Kip are part of that esteemed group who visit those facilities.
Ted O’Connell is a third-generation San Francisco resident with a distinguished range of knowledge on the many aspects of home ownership. He was a real estate appraiser for both San Francisco and Marin counties, and has also managed Branch Sales Operations for Fortune 500 clients such as Genentech and Charles Schwab. In addition to his love of Kip and all things San Francisco, he is an active and long-time musician on the local scene.
Kip, a celebrity in his own right, is featured in a just-released picture book written and photographed by Mark Rogers entitled Canines of San Francisco. The book celebrates San Francisco canines of all breeds with nearly 500 photographs throughout the city’s many neighborhoods. San Francisco has a well known dog-loving reputation, and this book beautifully captures that love affair. It is available at Barnes & Noble and Amazon.
Ted works from Zephyr’s Upper Market office and may be reached at tedoconnell@zephyrsf.com or 415.608.0794.
About Zephyr Real Estate
Founded in 1978, Zephyr Real Estate is San Francisco’s No. 1 independent real estate firm with over $2.4 billion in gross sales and a current roster of more than 350 full-time agents. Zephyr’s highly-visited website has earned two web design awards, including the prestigious Interactive Media Award. Zephyr Real Estate is a member of the international relocation network, Leading Real Estate Companies of the World; global luxury affiliate; the local luxury marketing association, LuxeSF; and the regional luxury real estate affiliation, the Artisan Group. Zephyr has nine locations across San Francisco, Marin, Alameda and San Mateo Counties and two brokerage affiliates in Sonoma County, all strategically positioned to serve a large customer base throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. For more information, visit www.ZephyrRE.com.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/8a807561-d1af-49e1-8cdb-d1be849c9381
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ce4a0520-12b4-4027-bcad-319b693cc23f