Paws For Patients
June 23, 2020
The Osborne Head and Neck Foundation (OHNF) is a medical nonprofit providing life-saving ear, nose, and throat surgical care for families in need. Paws For Patients is our therapy dog program that improves the lives of our patients, and builds connections with the community through the power of animal therapy.
Paws For Patients was launched in March 2020, and quickly evolved into a way to provide an online outlet for those at home needing a dose of happiness during these challenging times. Through partnerships with online children’s reading groups and mental health organizations, Paws For Patients is encouraging youth to continue reading, and is decreasing anxiety and stress in our community. Need a break from work? Want to encourage your children to read? Looking for a way to bring a little joy to your day? Schedule your own online session with our volunteer animals on Zoom or FaceTime, with the Osborne Head & Neck Foundation. Laney is a Paws For Patients volunteer. She is the sweetest golden retriever you will ever meet and she might be one of the smartest too! At seven months old, Laney passed her American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Test. This puppy enjoys learning new tricks, and is well on her way to becoming an American Kennel Club Trick Dog. She also loves to take photos with her big grinning smile. Laney is calm and intuitive to the needs of people around her, and makes the perfect companion.
Most Recent News
Former Victoria man’s diabetic alert dog helps him get back to life
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
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
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
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
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
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 […]