Even at age 11, Sandra had decided to combine her passion for helping others with her knowledge of animals as beneficial social support and aides in emotional well-being.  Her Bachelors degree from Newcomb College of Tulane University reflects her study in these areas.  She continued to complete her Masters in Social Work at Tulane University where she completed a thesis called:  “Pets as Communication Links and as Aides to Psychotherapy in a Residential   Setting.”  However, this was 1980, and many people thought she was a little crazy in her aim to change the world so that animals were viewed as of value to our health.  So Sandra spent the ensuing 9 years in various clinical settings, working with parents and children in the foster care system, lawyers and judges in the court system, individuals and couples in a general private practice, and gaining skills as a therapist and clinical social worker. 

By 1988-1990, the Delta Society (www.deltasociety.org) had formed and developed conferences, certifications in Animal-Assisted Therapy and Animal-Assisted Activities, and promotion of the Human-Animal Bond.  Sandra began using her own dog in her private practice and as an animal therapist in nursing home visits.  In 1990, she and her family moved from the urban area of New Orleans to a 5 acre farm for her horses, dogs, cats, and parrots.  Shortly after the move, two of the family’s three dogs were killed on the highway.  This experience led Sandra to write her book, and to offer pet loss education to local veterinarians, a support group for owners experiencing pet loss, and other related services.  In 1990, she was hired by the Louisiana School of Veterinary Medicine where she became the Coordinator of Counseling Services.  In addition to providing counseling to the human population within the Vet School, Sandra developed a pet loss service for clients of the clinic and for clients of state veterinarians.  She began teaching and training veterinary students with regard to the Human-Animal Bond and with regard to working with clients experiencing the loss of an animal.  She began to publish articles and to speak at national conferences.  With the help of her Social Work interns (one of whom has succeeded Sandra in her position at LSU: Stephanie Johnson, LCSW), a model Animal-Assisted Therapy program, Tiger HATS was developed and was the first to be allowed into a major medical facility in Louisiana.

In 1994, Sandra received an offer to become a Social Work faculty member at Idaho State University in Pocatello, Idaho.  It was an offer that she could not turn down, and she moved her human and her animal family there to live on 14 acres at the foot of Slate Mountain.  Over the years, her human, dog, cat, bird, and horse family also included llamas, goats, and one visit by a pig.  Sandra became the Pet Loss Consultant for the Idaho Veterinary Medical Foundation, continuing to offer pet loss counseling to numerous owners.  She also continued her educational activities about the Human-Animal Bond in addition to her academic and scholarly obligations.  In 2008, family and the South beckoned, and Sandra accepted a faculty position at Texas Woman’s University in their Social Work Program.  She and her family now live in Denton, Texas where Sandra continues to teach, write, and pursue her interests.  She is researching the Human-Animal Bond and disaster/evacuation behavior and experience.  She is counseling clients in private practice.  The Texas Veterinary Medical Foundation has approved her as their Pet Loss Counselor. 

She can’t wait to meet you!

This page is under construction!
Please bare with us as we make changes and figure things out with our new website! Thank you.