Newest member of the MCH makes tongues wag

A new partner of the Montreal Children’s Hospital (MCH) is making heads turn as he struts down the hallway with his blond hair and soulful brown eyes. Children, parents and staff smile and utter ‘ohs’ and ‘ahs’ as he passes on his way to visit with patients in the hematology-oncology Day Treatment Centre, hemodialysis, psychiatry and other areas of the hospital.  

Kitchi, a two-year-old, 80-pound Golden Doodle is the latest Zoothérapie Québec member on the Child Life Services team at the MCH. In January, he joined colleague Maya, a tiny Maltese, who recently celebrated her 10th birthday. Besides a few treats and scratches behind the ear, both dogs volunteer their time once a week.

Pet therapy is a guided interaction between the young patients, two trained dogs, and their handlers from Zoothérapie Québec. The Child Life Pet Therapy program aims to  make the hospital environment a little more familiar for children and to reduce the stress they may experience during their stay in hospital.  

The MCH’s pet therapy program is incredibly popular, and with Kitchi on the team, more children will benefit from these soothing and playful visits. The Montreal Children’s Hospital Foundation gratefully thanks two generous donors for supporting the pet therapy program: Sarah's Fund for Cedars and Ronnie's Joy Foundation.