Our Teams

Ruby Shoes and Chris Parker
Founding Member

Eleven years ago, Ruby Shoes landed in Border Collie Rescue Texas in Houston.

She was a stray with lots of medical problems. She was also smart and funny and adorable. She came to live with me ten years ago and I’ll never know why someone else didn’t snap her up before I found her.

Ruby and I have had many adventures together. She was brilliant at agility and Rally Obedience but I discovered her affinity for therapy work when I took her to visit a friend in hospice. We always ended up meeting other patients and their families and people just assumed that she was a therapy dog – she was just that happy and friendly. When we were offered the opportunity to do therapy with K-9’s On Call Support Dogs, we jumped at it. Now Ruby Shoes shares her sunny little personality with people who could really use some cheering.

As for me, I’ve worked in public safety pretty much my entire adult life. Other than that, I’m not nearly as interesting, or as cute as, my furry little companion and I’ve long ago accepted that I’m not much more than Ruby’s chauffeur and assistant. I’m totally good with that.

Ryan and Jennifer Phillips
Founding Member

Ryan is a Bearded Collie. They hail from Scotland, but actually he’s from Detroit. I got Ryan as a puppy. He was black and white, then slate gray, and now it looks like he’s headed back to black. He is a breed champion and has done well in agility (four times over a champion). Ryan is a born Wal-Mart greeter, thinks everyone wants to meet him, which is what makes him a fine therapy dog. He loves to visit with the kids at Dell Children’s Hospital and also at the Call Center at CTECC. Like me, he is forever grateful for all First Responders and the work they do.

Texsi and Karen & Duke Kimbrough
Founding Member

Texsi, registered name - GCH Quiche’s Livin’ It Up In Texas, was born a foreigner in Canada but he got to Texas as fast as he could! He is perhaps the most challenging dog we have owned because of his independence, enthusiasm and drive. Beneath this bold confidence is a soft, happy dog that understands the job of being a support dog. He entertains everyone with his funny tricks but in his mind, he is just purely having fun. Did you say treats?

As for us, we are passionate about our dogs and believe in the power of how a dog can bring comfort to humans. Duke spent 40 years of his career as a Surgeon and an Emergency Medicine physician working with paramedics in a clinical setting as well as in education. Karen has almost 20 years as a volunteer working with pet therapy teams in nursing homes, children’s and general hospitals, reading education and a national crisis relief program. We are very happy to be at CTECC and really enjoy working with all the staff there.

Tilly and Jennifer Phillips

Tilly, my brown and white Bearded Collie was born on November 3rd, 2017. She was one of three puppies, the only girl in the litter. I had wanted a girl since I hadn't had one in a number of years. She is very different from Ryan, my other Beardie, very independent and stubborn. She loves Barn Hunt: finding rats in hay bales; FAST CAT:running as fast as she can after a lure; learning dog agility: leaping over jumps and zipping through tunnels, and she's now a beauty queen, a breed champion Bearded Collie.  But most importantly, she is a lover, and so enjoys visiting the first responders, putting her head in their laps for petting. She and I (and Ryan, too), love coming to CTECC!

Lilly and Stephanie Lifton

I grew up in Los Angeles, CA, where, as a 9-year-old child who preferred animals to people, I decided to one day become a veterinarian.  I graduated from UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine, moved to Philadelphia where I completed a residency in Small Animal Internal Medicine.  I spent several years working at a large, multi-doctor specialty hospital. Tired of the 60-80-hour work weeks, I took a job with Antech Diagnostics as an internal medicine consultant and I am still with them today.  

Lilly, now 12 years old, came into my life as a 9-month-old puppy when her breeder decided she didn’t quite have the conformation needed for breeding.  Lucky me! Lilly is the sweetest dog I have ever met. She is a joy to train. We did agility until an injury (not agility related) ended that activity.  Although Lilly is mostly VERY well behaved, she does have some food issues. She has been known to levitate onto counters over twice her height to steal yogurt, backpacking food, entire plates of spanakopita, and whole rotisserie chickens (still in the plastic container – I will never know how she got that off the counter and through the doggy door without spilling a drop).  She opens Snap-ware buckets of snacks, rummages through backpacks and lunch pails, and gets into trash cans. Let’s just say we’ve learned to ALWAYS put ALL food securely out of her reach. Other than that, she is truly an amazing dog. Lilly LOVES to learn and perform tricks – ask us for a sampling any time! We are thrilled to be a part of K-9’s On Call Support Dogs. Thanks so much, CTECC, for welcoming us into your workplace and for providing such a vital service to our First Responder community!

Bonnie and Margaret Johnson
Founding Member

Bonnie, a long coated German Shepherd, was born 1/4/14 in Upstate New York. While Bonnie was a wee puppy, her breeder (who is a world-famous dog trainer) was putting together a DVD on how to raise puppies from birth to adoption to optimize their social, physical, and mental development. The photos and videos were posted daily on Facebook so I was fortunate to get to see her every day of her life.

From day one she captivated me. The first video posted was her lying on her back dreaming – day one – what was she thinking?! She’s always been a thoughtful girl observing the world with her quintessential Bonnie Ponder. She also has an excellent sense of humor and makes me laugh every day.

I’ve always wanted to do some sort of therapy dog work but needed to find something that was a good fit for me and for my dog. When the opportunity came to work with K-9’s on Call, I jumped at the chance to give back to people that give so much to our community. It is an honor to come and visit, to talk with people about their furry family members, and to watch Bonnie put smiles on faces.

Back in the real world, I am an internationally certified dog behavior counselor and trainer (although many of my friends say a more accurate title is that I’m a people trainer), working with all kinds of dogs (and their people) from dogs just needing to learn some manners to dogs with serious behavior issues. I also volunteer my expertise and services to the Austin Humane Society and several rescue groups throughout Central Texas.

When Bonnie isn’t at the Call Center, she is busy being a patient and consummate mentor to puppies and people in my Puppy Preschool and group obedience classes, tolerating her annoying teenage half-brother, and enjoying life as a ranch dog on our 10-acre property. She thought this living in Texas gig was pretty great until she experienced her first summer. Now she thinks air conditioning is even better than chasing squirrels.

Joey and Lucy Hamilton

Joey, a Border collie/Lab mix was a little under a year old when he was found dumped on the side of the road. A passerby called Animal Outreach Association, a rescue group in West Texas, and reported a dog trying to get in any car that would slow down or stop. AOA picked him up, vetted him, and realized that this dog needed a job.

Animal Outreach contacted me, knowing that I had done therapy work for many years. Karen Kimbrough had talked to me about K-9 On Call, sounded wonderful, but all of my therapy dogs were retired. So when AOA approached me about a very sweet dog, I jumped at it.

I adopted Joey, we began working on his obedience with the help of fellow K-9 On Call volunteer, Jennifer Phillips, took the required test, passed, and have been working ever since! Joey loves visiting the Call Center. When I put his vest on, he seems to know he is going to go see his friends! It is a true honor for Joey and I to be able to visit such a wonderful and dedicated group of people at CTECC! Joey and I truly hope to see all of you soon!!

Rainbow Bridge

We want to thank and honor our dogs that have left us but are never forgotten.

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to the Rainbow Bridge.  There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together.  There is plenty of food, water, and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor.  Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by.  The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing:  they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind. 

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance.  His bright eyes are intent.  His eager body quivers.  Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. 

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again.  The happy kisses rain upon your face, your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more  into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross the Rainbow bridge together…

-Author unknown