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Letter: Prescription pals at AGH
Tuesday, February 16, 1999
I would like to respond to the Feb. 9 article in Your Health titled "Prescription Pals." It stated that UPMC Passavant is the first hospital in the area to allow dogs to visit patients in the hospital.
Allegheny General Hospital has had a program in place for almost seven years. The Continuing Care Center, Allegheny General Hospital's sub-acute unit, encourages the patient's families to bring their pets to visit.
We have policies and procedures in place, which I shared with Becky Horvath, recreation therapist at UPMC Passavant, before they put their program into practice. The Continuing Care Center has had visits from a variety of family pets including birds, dogs, cats, a bunny, a litter of three-week old puppies and a large snake. A staff person brought in a new lamb from his farm on a day off. We also have organized visits from The Pittsburgh Zoo, Animal Rescue League and the Humane Society. We have enjoyed visits from hedgehogs, possums, owls, ferrets and assorted small animals.
I wish the program at UPMC Passavant great success. We have enjoyed success with our program since the opening of Allegheny General Hospital Continuing Care Center and look forward to future expansion of our program.
KAREN LANSBERRY
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