Caring for a Community

 

Do you know the extent to which animals benefit human lives?

 

Pet ownership increases a child's self-esteem and teaches responsibility and respect.

 

Studies have shown that children in pet-owning homes are more involved in extracurricular activities, like sports, hobbies and clubs. They also do more chores.

 

The outcomes of treatment for children undergoing therapy improve significantly when animals are present. This is true for adults as well.

 

Pets have also been scientifically proven to lower stress and anxiety in adults.

 

Seniors with pets visit the doctor less often for minor issues and have lower blood pressure and cholesterol than non-pet owning seniors.

 

In addition, pets motivate seniors to get involved in daily activities that require movement and socialization.

 

We have also seen the therapeutic effects that animal-assisted activities can have on hospitalized or convalescent individuals or those with special needs.

 

But most of all, pets provide unconditional love and companionship, often to those who do not have anyone else.

 

So, what does this mean for all of us at The Drake Center?

 

It means that what happens in our hospital has a tremendous impact on our community. Not only are we blessed with the rewarding task of helping owners keep their pets happy and healthy, we support them through frustrating and frightening times of illness or instability as well.

 

We understand and deeply respect the human-animal bond. We make our clients smile. We cry with them, too. And we surround them in love.

 

Of course, love can be an overused term. I’m not talking about love in the superficial sense, but about the big love that envelops and pervades our hospital, even if it is not felt on a conscious level. That love goes into every client, staff member and pet who walks through our doors and comes out onto our planet and into our community in countless ways.

 

The way we treat and care for our clients, patients and each other spreads beyond our walls and into our world. What happens here matters in ways we can never hope to know or understand.

 

It took a lot of the right circumstances to bring us all together at The Drake Center. I hope you are as honored as I am to be here.

 

Happy New Year! Thank you so much for being a part of our practice and our lives.