Claudia Steele-Major

Claudia is a physical therapist and came from Germany to the US in 1990. She grew up horseback riding and dog walking and witnessed the healing and rehabilitative power of horses in hippotherapy. Her first encounter with therapy dogs was during her work in a rehabilitation center in Ventura County where she experienced first-hand the restorative and uplifting effect therapy dogs had who came to visit her patients in the rehab gym. It planted a seed and the desire to own and volunteer with a therapy dog was formed.

Her Golden Retriever Clementine is certified as therapy dog with Love On A Leash© (LOAL) since 2017 and Alliance of Therapy Dogs© (ATD) since 2024 and has brought many smiles to children and adults visiting hospitals, libraries, and assisted living facilities.

After her son joined the National Guard and later the Army Claudia became involved with Blue Star Mothers of America (BSM). She has personally experienced how the stress of military life affects families and relationships. Blue Star Moms support each other and share a passion for active duty and veteran service members of all military branches.

It was during an outreach event with her BSM chapter at the Ventura County Library when she first met Mardu with then Pets For Vets© who was staffing a table at the same event. What were the odds that an organization should combine her love for dogs and her compassion for veterans in the very library Clementine got her paws wet as a therapy dog in the children’s Paws for Reading Program? Claudia signed up to volunteer and as Military Animal Project evolved MAP’s mission and vision echoed her passion for veterans, dogs, and horses.

Claudia has a BS in Physical Therapy (1988) specializing in Oncology Rehabilitation (2020) and has been the Therapy Dog Coordinator for MAP’s Ventura County Chapter since August 2023. After a brief tenure as Visit Captain for Library Visits, she became the Visit Captain for Veteran Dog Therapy for LOAL’s Ventura Chapter (2023). She is a member with the American Red Cross Services to the Armed Forces and Shelter Services (2017) as well as a member of the Conejo Valley Blue Star Mom’s Chapter (2018).

Claudia and her family live in Ventura, CA.