Jim Newell Biography
Posted by Anne Corke on 2006-07-30. Filed under Monthly Feature
This month, a profile of therapy dog pioneer, Jim Newell (AKA The Dogfather!)
Born in the Lake District of England, in 1924, Jim grew up on a dairy farm. He served with the Royal Marines during World War II and later became a police constable with the Buckinghamshire Police Force. In 1953, Jim brought his family to Canada and found employment with General Motors in Oshawa. Jim and his wife, Jean, boarded, raised and trained dogs at their Grizebeck Kennels, near Newtonville.
They started visiting nursing homes in Oshawa and area in 1964 with their German Shepherds. Initially, the idea met with much resistance, but Jean persevered. Their dogs became welcome guests at many nursing homes in the Oshawa area. In 1980, with Jean's health declining, Jim retired from General Motors and they moved to Cavan to be nearer to their family. In 1986, Jean lost her battle with emphysema. Jim kept himself busy working with the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires and volunteering with St. John Ambulance. In 1988, Jean's friend, Pat Syers, encouraged Jim to resurrect the idea of dog visitation at Peterborough Civic Hospital (now Peterborough Regional Health Centre) and the rest, as they say, is history.
In addition to his therapy dog work, Jim also found time to teach dog obedience and tracking classes in Millbrook. Vacationing in Florida in the winter of 1990, Jim met Doreen Brock. They got along well and discovered that they had much in common, including lawn bowling and dogs! Doreen came to Canada in 1992 and, almost immediately, she and Jim approached St. John Ambulance to sponsor a Therapy Dog program to train dogs to visit people in hospitals and nursing homes. With St. John's approval, the program began in Peterborough and spread rapidly across Ontario, and ultimately across Canada.
Jim and Doreen married in Millbrook in 1995 with an honour guard of therapy dogs and handlers! Their wedding was featured on CBC and CNN! In June 2005, Jim was made the first Life Member of the newly formed East Central Therapy Dogs based in Peterborough. Last year, Jim and Doreen retired to Grand Bend, Ontario, with their Airedale, Rex, and Miniature Schnauzer, Scouse. With his vast knowledge of dogs and experience with therapy work, Jim continues to be an integral part of our program providing advice and input on both administrative and practical matters. His humour and compassion continue to inspire us and our therapy dog program is, in fact, his legacy to our community.