Hospital Lets Pets Visit Their Sick Humans To Make Them Feel Better

by pawbuzz on in Dogs 105

Juravinski hospital in Ontario, Canada allows pets to visit their seriously ill humans. The hospital adopted a program called Zachary’s Paws for Healing, launched by Donna Jenkins. She was inspired by her 25-year-old nephew, Zachary, who benefited greatly from having his dogs around him while he was battling Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

“While Zachary was in the hospital for many weeks and very sick after having a stem cell transplant,  he begged to see his dog, Chase,” says Jenkins. “We sneaked Chase into ICU to see him and the effect it had on Zachary was remarkable. When Zachary realized he was not going to survive his cancer, he made me promise to start the organization. We had our official first patient visit September 15, 2015.”

More: 20 Things All Dog Owners Must Never Forget. The Last One Brought Me To Tears…

“We know that when patients get to see their pet, it can improve vital signs, improve depression and the feeling of isolation, it opens communication back up and it is a reminder for a reason for the patient to get well and return home.” The visits are weekly and they usually take 1 hour. The pets are thoroughly cleaned before entering the hospital and they are kept away from other patients.

More info: zacharyspawsforhealing.com | Facebook

Juravinski hospital in Ontario, Canada allows pets to visit their seriously ill humans

The hospital adopted a program called Zachary’s Paws for Healing, launched by Donna Jenkins

“When patients get to see their pet, it can improve vital signs, improve depression and the feeling of isolation,” Jenkins told Bored Panda

“It opens communication back up and it is a reminder for a reason for the patient to get well and return home”

“Having a pet visit its human brings some normalcy back to the patient’s life”

Next Page »



Pages: 1 2

105 thoughts on “Hospital Lets Pets Visit Their Sick Humans To Make Them Feel Better”

  4. Sandra Wyatt

    - Edit

    Reply

    In my hospital we have been doing this for over 10 yrs. I also bring in my own therapy dog for pts couple times a week. Working on pediatrics it helps distract, relieve stress and talk about her instead of focusing on whats happening. It’s just lovely to have another tool to help our little ones.

  8. Emma Jamieson

    - Edit

    Reply

    Canada is so far ahead in so many ways. Well done for knowing what research already tells us about the healing and calming effect of animals and putting that knowledge and understanding into appropriate action.

  12. Patricia Oliveira

    - Edit

    Reply

    The pets have every right to be with their family member who is in the hospital,nursing home or rehabilitation center. The pets are family and the pets are a lot cleaner than some of the humans who go to visit.

  13. Roberta A. Schultz

    - Edit

    Reply

    I’m glad hospitals are relaxing this rule. When I was a nursing we had a service dog who had to potty badly, so the nurse asked if I would take the dog outside. The infection control nurse found us and I think the whole floor got a butt chewing over infectious disease. Poor dog finally got picked up by family, and I got a mark on my record.

  15. Lauri Martin

    - Edit

    Reply

    I so wish the hospital in Salem Or would allow this. My Cancer team knows I fight them all the way when they want to admit me. My only concern is my German Shepherd Whiskey. He has been by my side for 3 years as we have been fighting this. He has been there with me through all the chemo and raditation. He get sick with worry when they admit me. However there are signs all over the hospital (the only one in Salem OR) NO dogs allowed period. So I choose to stay home alone with my best friend Whiskey my 6 year old Shepherd.

  38. Ann Baker

    - Edit

    Reply

    And so they should, most of us adore our pets and bacome stressed if separated from them, spending some time with them and seeing that they are ok would help a patients progress enormously.

  40. Russell T. Alsup

    - Edit

    Reply

    Sure helped my wife after her stroke. Couldn’t walk or talk but when her little fur baby came in she perked right up smiling from ear to ear. Took 4 weeks in hospital before I could bring her home. Little over 2 years still not talking or walking like before but she’s home.

  41. Carolyn Randall

    - Edit

    Reply

    My father went into hospital and then a nursing home. Both places allowed “Chelsea” my parents dog in to visit ( mum had passed a few months before. ) Chelsea visited my father with us until the day she died…… followed by my father a couple of months later. I know he took comfort in feeling her fur and warmth laying beside him x pets are family ❤

  44. Janet Banks

    - Edit

    Reply

    So does east general in Toronto. ..campbellford hospital has therapy dogs on a regular basis as do many nursing homes..my dog was a therapy dog that visited patients there and I have even brought some of the patients own dogs to visit them..one man I used to visit loved my therapy dog but missed his own dog that lived with his wife at home..he hadn’t seen the dog for 2 yrs and I brought him to visit..this man was so happy to be with his dog ..he was feeling sick the day I came with his dog but you would never know he was so happy to spend time with his dog..he went to the hospital that night and died 2 days later

  46. Janet Banks

    - Edit

    Reply

    This was kohla a 140lb sharpei /lab/akitahusky mix I trained to be a therapy dog..a gentle giant with Lancelot a doberman I got when he was 5yrs..they were both 10yrs old and died last Sept. .one with DCM and the other a brain tumor..still miss the both

Add Comment