On October 1, 2020, Presbyterian Hospital welcomed High Desert Therapy Dogs in their first phase reopening of volunteers coming back to the hospital. High Desert Therapy Dogs visited with some of the Presbyterian Physical Rehabilitation Staff.
It wasn’t an ordinary therapy dog visit; it was a COVID-19 visit. The patients were inside, on beds or wheelchairs, in walkers or on chairs. The dogs were outside, looking in the windows with goofy grins, wagging tails, alert ears. The handlers wore masks. Even though no stranger’s hand touched fur or stroked velvety ears, the results …