"A dog and a human being, they worship each other. It's not a one way street."
Pets can touch our lives in beautiful, unexpected ways. In the video below, you'll meet hospice patients who benefit from certified therapy dogs in various ways, each one powerful and unique. The dogs come in all shapes, sizes, and breeds, but what ties them together is their effortless ability to reduce loneliness, depression, stress, and isolation. The program was created the by Pawsitive Pals Pet Therapy Program at San Diego Hospice and The Institute for Palliative Medicine.
In the program, therapy dogs and hospice patients are paired up as "Pawsitive Pals." To put it simply, the dogs are the best part of the patients' days. They have someone to cuddle with, someone to give them company. In turn, the pets' owners feel they themselves have become better people as a result of the relationship between their dogs and the people they help.
Visits from Tucker, a Goldendoodle, have made a world of difference to four-year-old Venezia and her parents. Venezia’s dad says, “You actually feel the joy when they’re together. I mean, I can feel her heartbeat. These memories, you’re going to remember them for the rest of your life." Lanie helped one mother feel comfort and happiness before she passed away. Her daughter says, "To be able to see my mother's huge, fabulous smile just one more time was amazing to me."
Dogs truly do have healing properties.
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