Paws With Love Therapy Dogs
May 12, 2020
Dogs and handlers with Paws with Love drove around Comanche County Memorial Hospital on Thursday for a parade to bring smiles to patients and health care workers. Keri Brammer, the president of Paws with Love, said they usually visit people at the hospital multiple times a week, but with the coronavirus, they haven’t been able to.
“We miss the hospital,” Brammer said. “We miss seeing everybody, the patients and the staff. The dogs miss them so much, and we just wanted to come and tell them how much we appreciate what they’re doing, and how much we appreciate the hard work and we miss them.”
The patients, including those who are in the hospital for inpatient rehabilitation, miss seeing their four-legged pals too. Sarah Kay, who is the Lead Inpatient Rehab Therapist, said she could a difference in the patient’s moods from before the dogs drove by to after.
“I loved watching the joy on their face,” Kay said. “We don’t get to see a lot of smiles, they miss their families, they miss that affection, and so just to see them brighten up means the world.”
Not only did patients and hospital staff enjoy it, but so did the dogs.
“They loved it,” Brammer said. “They heard their names, and Rosie was just whining when they heard their names. They are so excited to see people that they know and recognize.”
Kay has two therapy dogs that she brings to the hospital, so she knows firsthand the benefits that the dogs can have.
“We have several that are motivated just to be able to pet the dog even if it’s with their effective hand,” Kay said. “In a situation like this, when we don’t have that, just to have them drive by and to be able to see that, just brings a lot of smiles to everybody’s faces, which we all need.”
“It makes us happy to just bring a little bit of brightness to somebody’s day just for a few minutes and that’s what our dogs do,” Brammer said.
Kay said people are already asking when the next parade will be. Brammer said she’s looking forward to bringing the dogs back inside the hospital for their regular visits.
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
June 2, 2021
When Luke Hengen’s diabetes worsened in his early twenties, it stripped him of the outdoor activities where the country kid felt at home. Countless wilderness adventures and years of hard-fought football games took a toll on his body, to the point where he could no longer sense when his blood sugar was too high or […]Students Get Therapy Dog
January 8, 2021
When middle school students return to class on Jan. 11, they’ll find a new face at the door: Daisy. Daisy is a therapy dog and the personal pet of Rob Kreger, principal of the Rock L. Butler Middle School. The five-year-old golden retriever is not a school pet or mascot, but rather a working dog […]Therapy Dogtor
January 8, 2021
Last March, Caroline Benzel, a third-year medical student, began to notice the stress and discomfort her nurse friends were feeling from the pressures of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. “[Personal protective equipment] can be really rough on the skin,” Benzel, 31, tells PEOPLE. Benzel and her 3-year-old Rottweiler, Loki (who’s also a therapy dog) hatched a […]Therapy Dog Pups
January 8, 2021
When Stanley the miniature fox terrier’s owner passed away, the little dog started a ‘paw-some’ new role – bringing puppy love to some of the Gold Coast’s oldest residents. After Carinity Cedarbrook Diversional Therapist Julianne Staff adopted Stanley, he began visiting the aged care community at Mudgeeraba as a therapy dog. Therapy dogs help to […]Puppy Cams
January 7, 2021
A nonprofit is providing an unusual form of therapy for those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic – puppy cams! “You spend five minutes with a puppy and try not to smile,” said registered nurse Robin Lingg Lagrone. Lingg Lagrone says watching little furballs wag their tails and prance on their paws helps […]Pet Committee
January 7, 2021
When Moore County’s school doors were abruptly closed earlier in 2020, two- and four-legged volunteers from the Moore County Citizens’ Pet Responsibility Committee (PRC) were in their 12th year of presenting a six-session Pet Responsibility Education Program for fourth-graders. The PRC quickly shifted gears and placed its program materials online as part of a home […]The Right Rescue Dog
January 7, 2021
If your New Year’s resolution is to add a canine family member, good for you. Somewhere out there is the perfect puppy or adult dog for your family. You have a lot of things to think about when you begin to look for that new family member, puppy or dog? Large or small? Purebred or […]Police Dog Attack
January 7, 2021
A resolution headed to the Duluth City Council on Monday could put to rest a lawsuit filed by Teri Lynn Ehlers, an employee of the Patch Motel, who was bitten by a Duluth police dog named Oakley. Former Duluth Police Officer Marc Johnson was a registered guest of the Warroad establishment May 28, 2018, when […]PAWS With A Cause
January 7, 2021
Pebble Hill Plantation and the Thomas County Public Library are pleased to announce the upcoming Enlightening Bites program, “PAWS With a Cause,” on Friday, January 8, 2021 at noon in the Flipper Room of the Library. The program is being presented by Jeri Anderson, field representative. Anderson is recently retired from the City of Monticello, […]Police Canine Team
January 7, 2021
Kingston Police revealed in a news release late Wednesday afternoon that they’ve been keeping a four-legged secret for roughly three months. The force announced it added a second canine unit, with the arrival of police service dog Dak this past October. He is working with Const. Jeff Dickson, while police service dog Bask is working […]
