Her children haven't called in weeks, and there are days when the apartment seems so quiet and lonely that she turns on the television for company.

But there is one small comfort that Gayle Babbit knows she can rely on: a 2-pound, 7-ounce Chihuahua named Ginger that likes to sneak into Gayle's jacket and go out to the movies whenever the walls start to feel a little too close.

"She's always there for me — she's the most loyal thing in my life," says Gayle, 63, who has chronic asthma and gets around with a wheelchair because of a hip fracture.

"On days when I feel sad, Ginger licks my hands and does a little dance to cheer me up," she says. "It should be a requirement that every elderly person who lives alone have a dog. They make you want to keep going."

In the hope of encouraging other lonely seniors to adopt a four-legged companion, Gayle recently joined me for a Free Lunch chat after taking Ginger to see "Beverly Hills Chihuahua" at the Century Theater a few blocks from her South Salt Lake apartment.

"It's her sixth time seeing it," she says brightly as Ginger pokes her squirrel-size head out of her coat for a nuzzle. "She just loves seeing all of those Chihuahuas up there on the big screen. It sounds funny, but I think it must make her feel bigger."

Because Gayle has a doctor's letter stating that Ginger is a service animal needed for companionship, she is allowed to take the dog everywhere she goes, from the grocery store to the beauty salon.

On most days, the miniature pooch is dressed in outfits to rival those in the "Beverly Hills" movie, with a pink raincoat, Barbie cape and dozens of woolly sweaters in her shoe box closet at home.

"People love seeing her whenever we go out — she brings a lot of smiles," says Gayle, who adopted Ginger three years ago when she learned that her sister's friend was trying to find a home for the dog.

"I've always loved dogs, and I've had several over the years, but this one is extra special," she says. "She can tell when I'm feeling stressed and she'll come sit on my lap and make me feel better. I guess you could say she's my therapy."

Gayle is estranged from her two grown children and hasn't seen them in months, although they do send her cards once in a while.

"It happens to a lot of people when they get old," she says. "Everybody gets busy with their own lives and you end up spending a lot more time by yourself. That's the natural way of things. But it sure helps to have a dog."

Ginger sits at Gayle's feet every night during dinner, nibbling chicken-noodle soup (her favorite) or spaghetti from a porcelain bowl. At bedtime, she crawls under the covers and snuggles next to Gayle, a warm reminder that she's not alone.

"There's a reason there are so many dog movies coming out," says Gayle. "They're popular because dogs do so many wonderful things for us." She smiles as Ginger wiggles out of the opening in her coat, revealing her latest fashion acquisition: a fuzzy powder-blue sweater.

"Ginger loves the 'Chihuahua' movie, but I'll be taking her to see 'Bolt' next time," she says. "It's also about a dog, you know."

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