GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Emmanuel Hospice is looking for volunteers who have a very well-behaved and loving four-legged family member.
The Pet Visitor Program trains volunteers and their animals to be patient-family support volunteers and helps get their animal certified as a companion animal.
Patient-family support volunteers help enhance patients' quality of life. The volunteers can help offer a unique approach to symptom management and companionship and help brighten patients' spirits.
Patients get the chance to pet and play with the volunteer animals as they combat loneliness. The interactions can help patients alleviate stress and improve their mood.
Emmanuel Hospice makes all the arrangements for your pet to become a certified pet visitor and covers the certification cost through a grant from the Perrigo Corporation.
The process involves vet and vaccination records as well as three observation visits.
The Pet Visitor Program is just one of many programs provided. You can also help with making bereavement calls, capturing patient's life stories, supporting their office, assisting with community outreach or even knitting.
For more all the volunteer opportunities, click here.
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