When 10-year-old Nicole and her dad travel two-and-a-half hours from central Pennsylvania each week so she can undergo chemotherapy, her visit is always brightened by the company of a few furry, four-legged friends.
Yesterday, Nicole and other guests at the Ronald McDonald House - a home away from home for families of children being treated at local medical facilities - enjoyed a special Halloween treat of puppies dressed as pumpkins, princesses and Phillies players.
The dogs visit each week through Penn Vet Pets, an animal therapy visitation program, but this is the first time they've come in costume, said program director and Vet School alumnus Christina Bach said.
Vet Pets has been in place for about two decades, she said, but has been struggling with volunteer retention and recruitment. She has built a steady base of nearly 20 helpers since taking over the program a year ago and is trying new ways to excite participants.
"We thought it would be fun to do something a little different this year," Bach said.
When Nicole found out the decorated dogs were coming, her dad, Ed Rohrbaugh, said she wanted to get in the spirit by wearing her own Scooby Doo costume.
"She said that if dogs are going to dress like people, 'I want to dress like a dog,'" he said.
A few of the pets' owners, like third-year Veterinary student Marisa Brunetti and her mom, dressed up too.
They coordinated outfits with their Golden Retriever, Buddy, who was decked out in Phillies gear - right down to outgrown athletic pants with a hole for his tail.
Brunetti got involved with Vet Pets about a year ago, when Bach reached out to her.
"I knew Buddy would be the perfect candidate," Brunetti said. "He loves kids, other dogs and treats."
She said her favorite part of the program is the look on kids' faces when they interact with the dogs.
"They understand each other," she said.
Bach said not only do the animals entertain children, they allow them to connect on a tactile level through grooming and cuddling. And kids who miss their pets at home can have fun with new friends.
Nine-year-old Brandon from North Carolina and Rebecca from New Jersey, who will turn 14 tomorrow, both have dogs at home - but they say their own pets wouldn't dress up.
As Brandon pet Gus, Bach's beagle, he recalled that his own beagle Jake tore the trunk off the elephant costume he tried to get him to wear.
"It's funny the dogs are all dressed up," Brandon said. "They're the sweetest things.
The families enjoyed Halloween treats, photo opps with the dogs and conversations about each others' experiences.
Kate, a Black Labrador topped with a pink wig and party hat, is a cancer survivor herself.
Her owner, Tanya Foster, was working in Penn's veterinary hospital where the dog, who worked as a guide for the blind, underwent amputation surgery. She and her husband decided to adopt him and join Penn Vets.
"Because she was a guide dog, we knew she would be bored as a regular house dog," Foster said. "The next best job for her would be therapy."
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