Therapy dogs

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New Leash on Life’s Lend-a-Paw program, which rescues and trains homeless animals as therapy dogs, paid a visit Wednesday to New Horizons, a North Hills center for adults with developmental disabilities. Times staff photographer Michael Robinson Chavez captured some of the action. Here, Maddock, a shepherd-collie mix, is petted by, from left, Sean Seaman, Joseph Armijo and Melissa Moreno.

Maddock gives an adult at New Horizons a lick. Many of the adults at the center have poor vision and attention spans stemming from their disabilities and appreciate the monthly visit by the pooches, officials say.

Hogan, a standard-bred poodle, offers a paw to Roberto Domnicz during the monthly Lend-a-Paw visit, which brings smiles to the faces of adults at New Horizons.

Maddock gets a friendly pet during his visit. Volunteers and employees at New Horizons say there is a noticeable improvement in the well-being and attention span of adults at the center after the therapy dogs visit.