David Frei, Westminster Kennel Club spokesperson and co-host of the club’s famous dog show for more than 15 years, came to his hometown of Portland to proclaim Providence Child Center the first Angel On A Leash partner outside of New York.

David launched the Angel On A Leash dog therapy program shortly after becoming director of communications at Westminster in 2003. The program began at Morgan Stanley Children’s Hospital of New York-Presbyterian and has since expanded to include the Ronald McDonald House in New York City. The Providence partnership, which also will soon include the new pediatric unit at Providence St. Vincent Medical Center, broadens the program to national proportions.

“I think we’re only beginning to comprehend the good these dogs can do,” says David. “I think dogs have their own spirituality, which we don’t comprehend yet. I won’t say dogs are smarter than we are, but I do believe they understand some things that we don’t. If that’s true, we can learn from them.”

David was born in Portland and raised in Eugene, where his father, Jerry, was a longtime football coach at the University of Oregon.