Aww, what a good pupper!
Meet Rusty, a 2-year-old golden retriever who is in charge of greeting and comforting patients, doctors, and the staff of WakeMed Hospital in Cary, North Carolina.
In the midst of grief, worry, or pain inside the medical facility, having a wonderful volunteer dog is great for relief and comfort. Rusty is accompanied by his parent, Donna Donovan, who visits throughout the week.
Donna dresses up the retriever for his day as well. Equipped in a custom-fit lab coat and a stethoscope, Rusty looks and plays his part well!
As to why she started bringing her dog around WakeMed and other hospitals in North Carolina, she shared that she was looking for something more purposeful after retiring from being a paralegal. "At that point I knew I wanted to do something that was more fulfilling for me and give back to the community," she explained.
Rusty is very much trained as a therapy dog. He got his skills from Jackie's Basics and Beyond in Cary along with the Dogs With a Purpose therapy dog certification group. Beloved by patients and staff, Rusty and Donna will continue to visit and uplift everybody’s spirits.
"It warms my heart knowing I've touched somebody and I really haven't done anything but share my dog with them," Donna shared.
"I've had nurses say 'My God, she hasn't said that much since she's been here,'" Donovan said.
Image via Viral News