Luna- Our Therapy Dog

Meet Luna 🐾

We are excited to welcome a very special new member to our team — Luna, a gentle and affectionate two year old Border Collie/ Labrador Retriever mix who brings comfort, joy, and calm wherever she goes.

Luna is a certified therapy dog with a calm demeanor, silly personality, and is very in tune to others’ feelings. She has completed specialized training and is certified through the Alliance of Therapy dogs. She is also certified as a Canine Good Citizen. 

Luna loves gentle pets, cuddles, and belly rubs. Outside of work, she enjoys going on runs, playing tug-of-war, camping, and cuddling with her humans. Luna lives with Atlas’s executive director, Annie Caputa.

What Is Animal-Assisted Therapy?

Animal-Assisted Therapy is a proven therapeutic approach that uses trained animals, like Luna, to assist in emotional and psychological healing. The presence of a therapy dog can:

  • Support emotional regulation and relaxation

  • Help build trust in therapeutic relationships

  • Provide comfort and grounding during trauma recovery. Their presence can help patients feel safe and grounded, enabling more effective participation in therapeutic sessions.

  • Encourage communication, especially for children or those with social difficulties

  • Interaction with therapy dogs has been shown to lower cortisol, a hormone released when the body is stressed and increase oxytocin, which promotes feelings of bonding and relaxation

Research shows that even brief interactions with therapy dogs can increase feelings of safety, connection, and calm — key ingredients for growth and healing.

⭐️All interactions with Luna are entirely optional and based on your comfort. If you are fearful of dogs or have an allergy, just let us know and we can be sure to give Luna that day off!! 

We cannot wait for you to come to Atlas and meet Luna!