A therapy dog that’s brought joy and compassion to hundreds of sick kids and their families is being remembered for how she changed their lives.
Poppy, a golden retriever, has been a working member of the Canuck Place Children’s Hospice for more than eight years, and would comfort those who needed it the most.
“She would be with a child at their end of life; she would see a sibling who was sad because their little brother or little sister was sick; she’d hang out with staff who had gone through significant loss,” explained Debbie Butt with Canuck Place. “It’s pretty remarkable to think about how much compassion, empathy, support and joy she gave to children and families who were in our care.”
Butt said having a therapy dog is a critical part of their programming, but no immediate plans have been made to get another one right away.
“Poppy was our colleague; she was part of the working team. It’s a difficult time because we’ve lost a colleague,” she explained.
Since Canuck Place shared news of Poppy’s passing, dozens of people have shared how she touched their lives.
