It is a well known fact that pets can help people to get well sooner when they are sick. The therapy that the pets provide can come in the form of a supportive lick, a cozy cuddle, or simply looking at you while they lick their bones. It is quite a devastating thing to be away from your pets when you are in the hospital. Zachary Noble decided to change things and ensured that patients could be near to their furry little friends.
How It All Started?
Zachary Noble was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and it was quite an aggressive form of the disease. He was resistant to chemotherapy and spent a lot of time in the hospital, away from his home and the furry little dogs that he had.
The Doctor’s Decision To Change Things
The medical team in the hospital saw Zach’s misery and decided that they would make his dream come true. Zachary got two dog visits and his health started to improve, which was quite a miraculous turn of events.
The Change In His Health
“We watched the change in his stress level, his desire to get well enough to go home, and his overall happiness,†says his aunt Donna Jenkins. Even though Zach did not make it in the end, he did something amazing.
Zach’s Plan To Change The Hospital Rules
Before his death, Zach created a plan to provide companion pet visits in the hospital so that other patients could meet their pets too. His aunt ensured that his dream became a reality in the form of Zachary’s Paws For Healing.
The Efforts
Donna worked closely with the medical team at Juravinski Hospital as well as infection control and volunteer services. She was a major part in the development of the procedures and policies needed to ensure pet visits. They had to make sure that the patients would be protected from all the infections and bacteria that pets could bring with them.
The Other Things To Take Care Of
The patient’s safety was not the only issue that the medical team had to take care of. Zachary’s Paws For Healing had to evaluate the safety of each animal before their visit to the hospital as well. The environment of the hospital would be stressful for the pets and in case of any risks, the pets are not taken to their owners.
Helping Humans Meet Their Pets
As you can see in this picture, this old man is quite happy seeing his cat in the hospital. His stress levels had decreased quite dramatically and his health is on the mend, all thanks to Zachary’s Paws For Healing.
When Pets Bring Happiness In Crucial Moments
This little girl was in the hospital for a few days and was quite sad when she could not meet her pet dog. However, thanks to Zach and Donna, she was able to meet her furry little dog and her happiness was beyond limits.
Relieving Stress
This is yet another success story of Zachary’s Paws Of Healing. The cancer patient was rethinking everything in her life and all of her stress went away when her pet Mastiff was allowed to visit her in the hospital.
Success Never Falters
Zachary’s Paws For Healing has many success stories and you can see them all on their website. Each one of them brings happiness to the patients and it is something that can be adopted all over the world.