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Imagine yourself sitting quietly in a hospital lobby, waiting for results from a doctor about your child’s rare medical condition. Imagine your young child needing surgery for the first time. She’s scared and doesn’t want to leave your side. Imagine your teenage child in need of mental health services. He feels nervous, uncertain and alone.
Now imagine a happy, yellow lab walking over and resting her head on your lap. Our facility dogs’ ability to bring comfort, compassion and love to each patient and family is what makes them life changing additions to local hospitals and schools.
In 2022, Canine Partners of the Rockies placed our first facility dog in Children’s Hospital Colorado. Kit and her handler, Allie, have been making a difference in the lives of patients and families for over a year. In 2023, Canine Partners matched and placed their second Children’s Colorado facility dog team, Luzie and Salida, as the first Medical Dog team to serve Children’s Hospital Colorado, Colorado Springs.
Allie, Kit’s handler, says “Kit has brought so much sunshine, hope and determination to patients in our Pediatric Mental Health Institute. She is a completely non-judgmental friend that helps empower kids to take ownership of their treatment goals throughout the institute. Kit helps normalize the hospital setting and create a safe place for kids to be vulnerable and willing to try skills outside their current comfort zone.”
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