Cole the Therapy Dog Celebrates Ninth Birthday
PHOTO: COURTESY CHRIS HANNAH
Cole the Deaf Dog’s recent ninth birthday party video was shared worldwide after appearing on ABC News Tonight with David Muir, which has a large broadcast presence, plus millions followers on social media.
The party was held at Dr. William Mennies Elementary School in Vineland. The video shows Cole wearing a birthday crown and shirt as he’s wheeled into a school auditorium by several students. The children then sing “Happy Birthday” to their beloved certified therapy dog while signing the lyrics in American Sign Language, which they learned specifically for the occasion.
Cole is a deaf pit bull adopted from South Jersey Regional Animal Shelter by Christopher Hannah, a music teacher at Mennies, in 2017. Cole teaches kids to embrace their differences and develop courage and self-respect. His presence inspires acts of kindness throughout the community and beyond.
With his ability to respond to sign language and working alongside his owner, Cole inspires a unique social-emotional learning program in the school and has become a far-flung ambassador for people and pets with special needs through the Team Cole Project, established by Hannah. Cole’s most important message is that a disability is not an inability—it’s a superpower.
NBC News with its massive number of followers, picked up the story, as did PEOPLE Magazine.
“Cole has been working alongside me as the school therapy dog for the last seven years,” Hannah told the magazine. “As the music teacher, I have the privilege of teaching the entire student population, so Cole interacts with everyone, every day. He greets the buses every morning and he’s there to see them off every afternoon. Cole is truly a huge inspiration to the kids.”
Team Cole focuses on promoting acceptance, compassion, and perseverance through presentations and visits to schools, hospitals, and care facilities. Cole is also a hospice therapy volunteer and the official mascot of the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home. During weekly visits, the dog helps aging veterans find new strength and enthusiasm for life. Through Cole the Deaf Dog & Friends Foundation, Chris and Cole spend their summers visiting and supporting special education summer programs and care facilities across the tri-state area.
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals chose Cole as its national Dog of the Year in 2023.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Mennies principal Karly O’Donoghue said, “Cole’s birthday party wasn’t just a fun moment or another school assembly—it really showed how much he means to our students and staff … It was a beautiful way for our students to show communication, empathy and respect.”
Contributing to the viral sensation of the party, Cole the Deaf Dog-The Team Cole Project’s Instagram tallied about 650,000 likes for the party video. The account has about a half-million followers, as does its Facebook.
