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***image1***Normally if a Rotweiler came barreling down the hall of a patient ward, it would be cause for emergency. However, when Napoleon, the Rotweiler, struts down a hallway, patients and staff alike smile and begin a friendly game of fetch.
Landstuhl Regional Medical Center’s pet visitation program provides a “fur fix” for injured servicemembers and the staff that treat them.
“The reaction from patients has been wonderful,” said Sgt. 1st Class Sandra L. Kosha, NCOIC of LRMC’s Microbiology Division. “They love it. You have to remember that many of these patients are coming to us from Iraq. They may be lonely, scared, hurt or facing multiple surgeries. Then here comes this dog that says, ‘Wanna play?’ It helps take their minds off of the long road to recovery.”
Pets visit patients twice a week, Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 4 p.m.
The group of pets includes Labradors, a Golden Retriever, a border collie, a cat and a pair of German Shepherds – one of which, if coaxed, will climb into the patient’s bed. A couple of New Foundlands soon will join the list, said Sergeant Kosha.
A typical visit involves a lot of laughing, especially when the ball gets tossed around.
“The staff is laughing. The patients are laughing. Even the housekeepers are laughing,” said Sergeant Kosha. “And Boudreaux, a Labrador Retriever, is so worn out from chasing his ball that he can barely wag his tail.”
Inevitably, when patients play with one of the pets, the subject turns to their own pet that they left back home. And according to Sergeant Kosha, reminiscing helps take away the pain and makes them feel at home.
Each visit is monitored to ensure no medical procedures are interrupted or equipment damaged. Things run smoothly as these animals all go through temperament testing by a veterinarian to ensure they get along well with strangers and obey simple commands.
This KMC American Red Cross program was created years ago, but until recently had suffered a setback.
“We had a strong program for a while, but it kind of fell apart due to pcs’ing,” said Maggie Hilton, Field Office coordinator of the KMC American Red Cross. “Then I met Sergeant Kosha, and the program began to rebound.”
Sergeant Kosha helped take on some of the program’s responsibilities and spearheaded the effort to establish a strong pool of pets from which to pull.
The program is very structured and now boasts eight dogs and a cat, all of which are the pets of servicemembers stationed in the KMC. The volunteer animals are allowed in the hospital during certain times only and must wear a scarf to identify themselves as Red Cross volunteers.
“Their job is to make patients feel better,” said Ms. Hilton. “It’s nice to see a patient smiling and hugging the stuffing out of your pet. It really is a fur fix.”
“We always have room for volunteers, whether they have two legs or four,” she said.
For more information about the program, call the KMC American Red Cross at 486-7298 or 06371-86-7298. ***image2******image3***
