2020 has become a year none of us expected and we have all had to make adjustments to our lives, schedules, and mindset. We’ve adjusted how we interact with friends and family, we’ve created new at-home offices, even changed how we keep ourselves entertained.
This story is about how one dog and his owner changed their plans when COVID hit to ensure kids at Children’s Hospitals kept smiles in their hearts.
Benji, a certified therapy dog at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, seen in this video on owner's back, has been lending a helping paw to kids through online hospital visits amid COVID-19. They used to visit in person but had to shift their time to online videos and virtual visits.
"For a lot of people, it looks extremely sketchy, but I wouldn't do anything to harm Benji."
It’s hard to ignore Benji’s adorable fluff and while the kids at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles can’t pet him and see him in person, their videos have become a fun creative way for them to stay connected even amongst COVID. It’s not every day that you see a 70 pound dog scootering, skiing, and working out, but the kids love it. In addition to their social media exposure, they also set up individual video calls with the kids they used to visit in person so they can pick up right where they left off.
"This dude has seen a lot, he's helped a lot and he's made a lot of people smile," owner Andrew Laske said. "Obviously, he's my best friend."
Between the therapy visits and now viral videos, Laske and Benji are just trying to bring a little positivity with every post, like and share during an otherwise hectic time in our lives.
We know a thing or two about adding positivity to peoples day so in a way, we’re doing exactly what Benji and Andrew are doing, filing peoples cups.
Story first covered by: https://abc7.com/pets-animals/viral-therapy-dog-gives-helping-paw-with-virtual-hospital-visits-amid-covid-19--/6186112/