Miniature Horse Joins Cat and Dogs to Comfort Patients

This is for Jo Singer, who is a writer for PoC and she loves horses and cats and other animals I guess. This miniature horse has been trained to be a therapy animal - I love therapy cats and dogs because they are working and doing good - and it is the first time I have seen a therapy horse.

It is an emotionally warm video. Where is the cat! ;) There is one cat in the therapy animal team of Paws on Call (nice name). Paws on Call are a volunteer group who visit Sutter hospitals which I believe are in Sacramento, USA.

The sweet horse's name is Hope as she gives hope to the patients. There is a wonderfully positive vibe when a therapy animal enters a ward in a hospital. They brighten the mood in the room and put smiles on the faces of patients and the medical team alike.

Breast cancer surgeon Dr Guirguis says:

“When we bring pets in, what we noticed is that instantaneous resolve in some of the problems that we have. Their chronic problems seem to get better.....“Heart rate goes down, blood pressure goes down, respiratory rate isn’t as rapid and fast. It’s a true health benefit – you really see a lot of amazing things happen.”

A nice aspect of this story is that cats get along with horses. Not always but there is a surprising affinity between the two species.