Juravinski hospital in Ontario, Canada is one of a kind. While a young man named Zachary was fighting his battle with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, his family decided to sneak his dog into the hospital to lift his spirits. The pup had such a dramatic effect on Zachary’s morale that his family took their findings to the hospital staff… and Zachary’s Paws was born.
Videos by InspireMore
“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,”Jenkins told Bored Panda. “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.
CTV News
“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.â€
CTV News
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.
CTV News
Check out the footage of this incredible program below.
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