Four-legged friends are trotting through the wards of Sutherland Hospital for Therapy Dog Awareness Month.
Gina the Labrador, led by The Delta Society volunteer, Ken Watson, of Cronulla, visit aged care patients for a cuddle and nuzzle.
Mr Watson has been visiting the hospital since 2013. Each Friday, Gina wanders through the Killara Ward, meeting elderly patients.
Therapy dog teams visit an estimated 20,000 Australia in hospitals and healthcare facilities every week.
Gina is a welcomed distraction for patients, who share stories about pets they owned in the past.
In its first year, Therapy Dog Awareness Month will highlight the benefits of connecting organisations to trained therapy dogs with Delta’s Paws the Pressure program.
Under this program, teams visit workplaces and organisations across Australia to reduce stress and uplift and invigorate employees.
