If you found yourself in Mumbai, India, in the recent past and you saw an ambulance for animals on the streets, it may have been there as a direct result of the efforts of Mahzeevar “Maazie” Dallas, a 2009 ABI Animal Assisted Therapy graduate. Since 1996, Maazie has been volunteering for an animal hospital that will send an ambulance out to pick up sick, injured or abandoned dogs, horses, cows, etc. For a time, Maazie had her own 24 hour rescue helpline. She outfitted her own vehicle to serve as an ambulance that could be used when the animal hospital’s was unavailable.
At the age of 9, Maazie joined a volunteer group that sang to patients in hospitals. This gave her the idea that animals, as well as music, could make a huge difference in people’s lives. Thus began her interest in Animal Assisted Therapy & Activities. Taking courses at ABI has given Maazie the confidence to put into practice a form of healing in which she has always believed.
Maazie found that the enthusiasm of the teachers at ABI motivated the students and helped to get the best from each of the students. She said that it never felt like an internet education, but instead she felt that she knew the instructors and that they knew her.
In addition to doing some Animal Assisted Activities with her rescue lab, Abby, Maazie loves cars (she used to test drive for car magazines), photography & creating greeting cards.