The old saying is “Dog is a man’s best friend.”
Well in 2016-2017, that’s being changed to “Dog is not only a man’s best friend, but a miracle worker for sick children.” There is a program called Delta Therapy Dog that delivers these canine saviors to sick children in hopes they get better… and the pictures are amazing.
These dogs help children cope with their sickness; playing with them and giving them hope and courage. There are some things parents and adults can’t do for kids, but dogs can – and it seems this program is working. Reports are 30% of sick children cases show improvement with this program.
These great results should be emulated around the world.
From Telegraph Sun:
The non-profit Delta Therapy Dog program also sees volunteers take their dogs to libraries, schools, nursing homes and occasionally, workplaces.
In Newcastle, the program operates in the busy John Hunter Hospital (JHH) on some of its children’s and adult wards.
“We just bring companionship, friendship and [are] enhancing the quality of the resident’s or the patient’s lives,” voluntary regional coordinator of the program, Pam Withers said.
“It just brings joy and therapeutic benefits to people.”
Ms Withers said dogs who participated in the program must be aged between 18 months and 10 years.
She said dogs that were happy, relaxed, liked people, and would solicit pats were best suited.
“It’s very good for retired people that have got time on their hands, and they get to meet all these wonderful people,” Ms Withers said.
“The dogs are perfectly healthy when they come in; they’re also bathed, [with] the hospital situation, we just have to take that little bit [of] extra care.”
Ms Withers said the program helped patients in their recovery, if only for a short time.
She remembered one day visiting a sick girl from a rural area who had been taken to hospital in Newcastle.
“They forget they’re sick,” she said.
“The very first day that we walked in, the mother couldn’t believe it — the girl actually spoke and had a smile on her face.
“She wasn’t speaking, wasn’t doing anything beforehand, she was just lying there [and] from that first visit, the girl just accelerated in her recovery.”
Watch the program in action:
What do you think of this program? Do you understand the need for it? Share with your family and friends!
