*sigh*

You only need to look at the faces to see it helps! There is more to healthcare than pills and tubes.

My Indy, a Standard Poodle, came to visit me several times while I was in rehab. It got so she knew the way to my room. She was a trained therapy dog so she was well behaved. I loved when she visited and it really lifted my spirits.
Sadly, Indy passed away last year and I miss her every day.

in nursing homes. Even if it isn't the patient's own pet. There is even a 'certification' available for 'Therapy Dogs', but even without the certification many nursing homes welcome well-behaved pet 'visitors'.

My mother-in-law spent the last 6 months of her life in a nursing home. We have five dogs and the smallest is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel called Dulcinea. Because she is a small dog in a houseful of somewhat larger Cavaliers she tends to be a little nervous and hesitant. But when we would take her to the nursing home to visit my MIL all of the residents wanted to pet her and talk to her, and for some reason, she seemed to understand and would sit and let herself be petted and stroked and fussed over. The nursing home staff even encouraged us to bring her. They told us that whenever Dulci would come to visit it cheered up the whole place.

More facilities should take up this practice.

Thanks for sharing the happy news!

although I must say, my cat would be hanging from the ceiling

She could only be away from her bed for about fifteen minutes at a time, but I could rarely get out of there in less than two or three hours. The Queen herself never had such a receiving line.

There was also a nurse who told me to text him ahead of time and it none of the Goody Two-Shoes were on duty just to bring the dog to the unit.

Even a 4-day stay last year when I had gall bladder surgery was hard on me because I missed my cats.