With wide eyes and a curled tail, my pet pug Huggy is a delight to meet.

When I was in seventh grade, I brought her with me to the nursing home and she visited the seniors. They smiled as they reached out to pet her soft fur or scratch her ears. Although the seniors had different sicknesses, different backgrounds and different personalities, the seniors all fell in love with Huggy’s presence. Huggy and I visited the seniors weekly and they waited and anticipated Huggy’s arrival with excitement.

With Huggy by their side, the seniors were also encouraged to open up about their day, their thoughts and emotions, and they talked to Huggy and to me about what was on their mind, remarking on how Huggy helped in calming them down.

According to many research papers, the comfort gained from the dog provided relief in their day, alleviating negative emotions and leading to health benefits. Seniors who participate in pet therapy experience a lowered blood pressure, a lift in their moods and an overall improvement in health and attitude towards life.

Kimberly Pienkawa