Wounded Israelis evacuated to Rambam hospital since the beginning of the fighting were warmly embraced by volunteers and the medical staff supporting the recuperating civilians and soldiers. Today (Tuesday), three labradors from the Service Labrador Training Center in Tivon stopped by to visit the wounded and cheer up the hospitalized soldiers.
Idit Leibe, a nurse at the hospital’s operating room, couldn’t contain her excitement: “You can’t remain indifferent at the sight of the sweet dogs,” she said. “These are puppies being trained at the center, with the aim of serving as therapy dogs. We thought how we can enlist in the national effort and knew we could cheer up many.”
"The dog’s effect was immediate”
Rambam hospital told of how the puppies moving among the wards of the hospital met the soldiers being treated and recovering from their wounds, and how they were also lovingly received among other patients in departments and by the care staff.
“Suddenly they called us to this patient, and that one,” Leibe recalled. “They asked us to help and encourage patients having difficulty functioning due to their mental state – we gladly agreed. Our teams, too, who are emotionally exhausted and in a state of sadness due to the situation in the country, received a shot in the arm. Therapy dogs have many advantages, from reducing tension and stress, to releasing endorphins and more. The effect was immediate.”
One of the climaxes of the visit came when one of the puppies met N., a wounded soldier who hadn’t seen his own German shepherd dog in some time. “There was great excitement,” Leibe attested. “He said how much he misses his dog and how happy he was to meet the friend we brought with us. It was worth all the effort.”
