IT seemed a crazy idea at first, but Jill Robinson has finally won acclaim for it. The Asia representative of the International Fund for Animal Welfare approached hospitals with the idea of visiting the sick, elderly and handicapped with a dog to help them get better.
'The nursing staff thought I must be joking' said Jill. However, after persisting, the Duchess of Kent Children's Hospital finally relented, allowing her to come by with her Golden Retriever, Max, providing she stayed in the garden.
Nurses wheeled out an unhappy bedridden 14-year-old boy with a broken back. 'Max jumped up on the side of the bed so he could touch his face and the boy went wild with excitement. He grinned the whole time,' said Jill.
Word quickly spread and now three-and-a-half years later, 80 dogs are involved in the 'doctor dog' scheme at 25 institutions. And that august little publication with the massive circulation, Reader's Digest, has honoured her with a 'Heroes for Today' award.
Volunteers and their pets visit hospitals for the disabled, the deaf, blind and elderly as well as Vietnamese refugee children.
Even Chris Patten's dog Soda is a Dr Dog, with no reports of him biting anyone. IF the Rolling Stones can overcome problems associated with their threatened concerts in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, we hear the chances are they will ask to play at the Sha Tin racetrack if the Jockey Club allow them.
