I had the privilege of meeting Western Maryland Health System's first pet therapist today. As you can see from the photo, Casino (on the left, just in case you haven't seen me in a while) is the first participant in our newly rolled out pet therapy program. Casino is the sweetest Lab that you would want to meet. She came into a room of about 80 of us at the beginning of our department directors' meeting and she fell in love with everyone and everyone with her. A lot has gone into creating our pet therapy program but now it is finally off the ground. We have another addition to the program, a Newfoundlander who will be handled by one of our ED staff members, Steve Meyer; and 2 or 3 other dogs are going through the application process. We have a new well defined policy on the do's and don't's for our pet therapists and their handlers; but for one who was initially opposed to the program, I am now embracing it.
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