Wellstone Regional Hospital

Pet Therapy

Wellstone Hospital uses pet therapy to explore patient’s thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.

On Wednesdays Maximum Blue (Max), a blue Great Dane, spends the day traveling through the hospital participating in group therapy sessions for all ages.

For Children

Max and his handler Debi (who is a therapist at Wellstone) promote discussions about:

Being kind to animals
Seeing animals as beings with emotions
Learning to confide in pets
Seek comfort from pets

For Adolescents

Max and Debi promote discussions about:

The responsibility of taking care of pets
Companionship and opportunity for channeling their energies into their pet instead of other negative behaviors
Comparisons between how they are taking care of their pet and how they are taken care of by others. This can be a tool for sharing in family therapy sessions.

For Adults

Max and Debi promote discussions about:

Benefits their pets offer – distraction from difficult moments, companionship and unconditional love
Stress their pets may cause especially in an already overwhelming situation

No matter your age, Max is “cool” to look at and fun to feed treats.

Wellstone also welcomes pet visiting from volunteers with certified pets through the Delta Society. This is a time for patients to interact with various dogs or cats that volunteers bring in. Participation is optional.