So when the coronavirus pandemic shut down most in-person visits, therapy animal teams didn’t give up. They just got creative.
“It has been an unusual circumstance where what is best for people’s health during a pandemic (isolating to stay safe) is in direct conflict with how we operate to bring the benefits of therapy animals to people, and visiting in person hasn’t been an option in most places,” Elisabeth Van Every, senior communications specialist at Pet Partners, told TODAY in an email. “But now more than ever people need joy, comfort, and uplifting, and these wonderful therapy animals and their handlers have found new ways to bring the power of pets to those in need.”
Make sure your pet is in good company. Pets get lonely and depressed just like people do when they spend too much time alone. Cats are generally better on their own, but dogs and especially puppies don’t do well left to their own devices for extended periods of time.
Here are some of the special ways therapy animal teams managed to spread cheer this year.
They wagged from outside windows at assisted living facilities.
They paraded outside of hospitals for nurses and doctors.
They Zoomed , of course.
They put their feline curiosity to good use outside of hospitals.
They “cloned” themselves.
They offered their bellies to hospital staff working tirelessly during the pandemic.
They smiled from decorated cars at residents in senior living communities.
They showed gratitude to our men and women in uniform.
Chase that tail! Dogs chase their tails for a variety of reasons: curiosity, exercise, anxiety, predatory instinct or, they might have fleas! If your dog is chasing his tail excessively, talk with your vet.
They proved that our precious pets always give 100%.