Cherie and Samantha volunteer at the childrens hospital. This year Cherie and Samantha purchased a therapy dog to work with the children when they volunteer. The dog cost $20,000. Cherie and Samantha own the dog, but they take each time they go to the hospital. They have also been invited to come with their dog to domestic abuse shelters to play with the children. They make two visits per week. They have good records of their visits because they deduct their mileage to and from the locations as charitable deductions. They are wondering if they can deduct the cost of the dog for charitable purposes. Depending on your answer, they are wondering if there are any other options to deduct the cost of the dog. What changes could they make for the coming year to improve their tax situation?