Pet animals bring a light of compassion to patients

Cats and dogs were domesticated tens of thousands of years ago to guard homes and keep rats at bay. As time passed, however, they came to offer their human owners much more than just protection and pest control. The Southern Song Dynasty poet Lu You initially got a cat to protect his book collections from rodents and wrote, “When the cat drives the rats away, how could I not reward it with fish?” Later, Lu You’s poetry demonstrated how way animals evolved from functional accessories into much-loved friends. He wrote, “Do not feel lonely, you have the cat as your companion”, reflecting a sentiment shared by pet owners ever since: With a cat or dog by one’s side, loneliness is banished.

The bond between humans and their pets makes it painful for people to be separated from their beloved animals. In its people-centered mission, the Hospital Authority (HA) has therefore arranged a Personal Pet Visitation service for long-stay patients receiving palliative care or in the late stages of cancer. Under the service, hospitals arrange for pets to visit their owners in hospital, fulfilling their last wishes, subject to infection control and operational considerations. Hospitals also invite dogs known as doctor pets to call in on patients under Animal Assisted Activity. The gentle, friendly animals bring comfort and affection to the wards with every visit.

This edition of HASLink brings you a series of lighthearted stories. HA hopes that the personal touch initiatives bring joy and hope to patients on their journey in the fight against sickness, and shine a light of compassion into their lives.