Feline companion starts working at Waimea hospital through pet therapy program
New Feline Addition to Queen's North Hawai'i Community Hospital's Animal Therapy Team
Queen's North Hawai'i Community Hospital in Waimea has expanded its animal therapy team to include a cat named Whiskey. This addition aims to cater to the diverse preferences of the hospital's patients [1].
Whiskey, a 3-year-old orange tabby cat, officially started his duty at the hospital during his first shift. The new therapy cat met hospital staff and even took a nap on patient beds [2].
Whiskey is a certified therapy cat through Pet Partners, making him Hawaii's only active Pet Partners therapy cat [1]. The process for training and registering a pet as a therapy animal involves certification through organisations such as Pet Partners. This process includes behaviour assessment, training, and registration with a recognised therapy animal organisation [3][5].
The therapy animals at Queen's North Hawai'i Community Hospital visit patients, visitors, and staff, providing comfort, healing, and joy [4]. Whiskey, like the other therapy animals, is specially trained for animal therapy.
For those interested in training and registering their pets as therapy animals, PetPartners.org is a valuable resource [5]. The hospital's new feline addition, Whiskey, is an excellent example of the positive impact therapy animals can have in a healthcare setting.
- Whiskey, the new therapy cat at Queen's North Hawai'i Community Hospital, has a background in science with his certification through Pet Partners, a crucial step in the health-and-wellness lifestyle of mental-health support.
- As part of the community's efforts to cater to diverse preferences, the hospital's expansion of its animal therapy team now includes the lifestyle choice of pets, exemplified by Whiskey, a 3-year-old orange tabby cat.
- By promoting therapy animals in healthcare settings, the community hospital is taking a holistic approach to health and wellness, incorporating mental health into its services, as demonstrated by the addition of Whiskey, the certified therapy cat.
