I started wanting to do Pet Visitation after watching a show on the Animal Channel with a Beagle doing visitation at a Cancer Hospital. I had Cancer myself, twice. And I have always looked for a way to "give back" I went thru my treatments at Duke University. I thought I would start a little closer to home.
It just so happens when I saw BayLee on the Internet, I just knew she was the one for me and for the visitation that I was wanting to do. She was a rescue. Her Momma had been dumped at the shelter, pregnant. She has always been a very surreal Beagle. Silly when she wanted to be, but very different at the hospital.
We went thru obedience classes and she made the title of Canine Good Citizen. We than challenged the Therapy Dogs International Test. I was a little worried because I hadn't worked with BayLee for a couple of months before the test. When the time came, she stepped up to the line and did exactly what she was supposed to!
She pulled ME thru that one!
We decided to start at the local Army hospital. They had a program established and I had been talking to them for months about BayLee. I volunteered with the American Red Cross and the visitations started.
This first picture is my favorite. This was taken on the first visit to Womack Army Medical Center. It was right after the 9-11 attack. I am civilian, so getting on base was horrible! IDs checked, the car searched, at every visit. I would hand them BayLee's ID each time also and the MP's got such a kick out of it! On this visit, we wanted to show our patriotism by wearing our country's colors. BayLee became known as the Patriotic Beagle. This particular picture was taken as we were leaving for the day.
An MP wanted to get a pat in and BayLee showed him how much we appreciate what he was doing for our country.

One of the things that I wanted to mention is that BayLee KNOWS what she is doing when she is there at the hospital. As soon as we go thru the check point, she is on! When we walk thru the parking lot to the hospital, her game face goes on, literally.
She prances thru that hospital like she ownes the place. I am at the end of her leash for leagal purposes only. She know what she is doing and loves every minute of it!

She stops and "chats" with who she wants.
When she sees a wheelchair, she scoots right up next to it
to see if that person wants some love.