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.
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