Mountain Hospice recently helped a terminally ill patient fulfill a wish. The patient told the admisions nurse that he was going to be buried with his former dog named Jake who had been cremated. The patient's wife began crying and said she had tried to find her husband a Golden Retriever puppy to bring him comfort in his final days. The patient then told the nurse, "It would make me feel better to find a puppy, knowing I could leave it for my wife as a companion."
A puppy was found and Mountain Hospice's Pet Peace of Mind program purchased the puppy for the couple. The staff and family met at the patient's home where they surprised him with his new Golden Retriever puppy whom he named Duke. Duke brought a lot of joy to the couple who have been married for 53 years.
The Pet Peace of Mind program is very important emotionally, spiritually and therapeutically to hospice patients and their families who are in their end-of-life journey.