BELLINGHAM, Wash. — A new program in Bellingham is helping to bring some peace to people in hospice care with the help of some furry and feathered friends.
The nonprofit Animals As Natural Therapy (ANT) started the Rainbow Bridge Program in the fall of 2024.
For more than a decade, the group has taken its barnyard animals such as chickens, horses, and rabbits to meet members of the community, but this program focuses specifically on seniors.
Their mobile coordinator, Lindsey Witus, told KIRO 7 that the idea came about thanks to a graduate student who was working on their Masters of Public Health and finishing their practicum with ANT.
“A big passion of hers was hospice, so she took this under her wing to grow the program into something official,” Witus said.
The graduate student helped to work on grant funding and trained up a volunteer team to make the Rainbow Bridge Program a reality.
Their first official visit was on Dec. 4. Volunteers saw three people during the visit to Hospice House. Witus says that one person really stood out to her.
“I was bringing in our therapy chicken, Evie, which is a bit of an unusual therapy animal, but this patient’s eyes just lit up from the moment we walked into the room,” she told KIRO 7.
Witus says the woman shared that she grew up taking care of her family’s chickens and collecting eggs and that she was very fond of them.
“I held Evie right next to her so she could stroke her feathers and she looked at me and she said, ‘It feels like seeing an old friend,’ and it just made my heart melt.”
Witus says the goal is to provide these visits completely free of cost for patients and their families.
“There are so many expenses that come with end of life and we are relying on grant support and community support and donations so if folks see this and are touched and aren’t in Whatcom County, every dollar counts,” Witus said.
Those who are interested in donating can do so by clicking here.
Witus said they are always looking for more volunteers. People who are interested in signing up can do so by clicking here.
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