Edwardospital celebrates 10th anniversary of Animal

Edwardospital celebrates 10th anniversary of Animal One sat vehemently opposed, while the other recognized the potential of the innovative idea at the acute care facility. Still, I couldn't imagine any of our dogs being suited for an Animal-Assisted Therapy program. Program leaders are careful to avoid absolutes when promoting the benefits of the program. And on that note, handler Juliaavey handed him a second card featuring the attributes of Soren, her Labrador retriever. Not a gentle yelp was heard as breeds ranging from a 3. The dedicated "trained handlers," all volunteers, spend their own resources to participate and to keep their dogs properly groomed for the program. On my way out of the well-attended anniversary celebration, I collected my own stash of cards that includes bios of Paxil, a large Munsterlander pointer; Pudders, a Portuguese water dog; and Molly, a cavalier King Charles spaniel, to name just a few. I followed two handlers and their leashed dogs up the elevator for a patient visit. Davis shied away from the limelight in praise of Patty Kaplan, director of the Animal-Assisted Therapy program, and all the trainers and handlers who had developed "the favorite program at Edward. Speakers credited Edward President and CEO Pam Davis with opening the doors to the program in February 2002, when 15 teams were ready to give patients a choice to have a dog visit during their hospital stay. On a recent Monday, I headed over to Edward'seartospital lobby for the 10th anniversary celebration of the Animal-Assisted Therapy program. Yet I defended the young program, cognizant of the connections animals can make with improving care of patients, especially adolescents. Each colorful card features a photo of the dog, its breed and many vital statistics. These days when we're grateful for all the advancements in care provided by technology, the "memory cards" serve as lasting impressions of more than 120,000 patient visits in 10 years along with their benefits, too. Edwardospital celebrates 10th anniversary of Animal Trade News selected by Local Linkup on 03/03/2012