Tampa Man Scott Baggett Uses Therapy Dogs to Help Sick Kids After Surviving Polio

Scott Baggett's Journey of Resilience

• 💡 Scott Baggett, a polio survivor from Tampa, dedicates his life to helping sick children, drawing from his own childhood experiences.
• 🎯 He believes in empowering children by telling them, "Do not let anybody tell you you can't do something," emphasizing that a disability doesn't define them.

Therapy Dogs Assisting Children

• 🐶 For over two decades, Scott used his golden retrievers as therapy dogs to support children in hospitals and aid in prosecuting sexual abuse cases.
• 💬 Children would communicate their experiences through the dogs, a method Scott found to be truly amazing.
• 🐾 He has logged over 6,000 volunteer hours with his therapy dogs and aims to continue this work.

Current Challenges and Need for Support

• ♿ Scott now requires assistance himself, needing a converted van to accommodate his wheelchair, as insurance does not cover the estimated $90,000 cost.
• 💔 He recently lost his therapy dog, Eli, and previously his first dog, LA, impacting his ability to continue his volunteer work.
• 🙏 Scott is seeking the right match to continue his mission of helping kids navigate their illnesses and disabilities.