Have you ever heard of therapy pigs? Well, it may seem little strange after we all know about therapy dogs, but they truly exist. The patients at Tampa General Hospital in Florida get daily visits from these therapy animals.
Some patients at TGH have special visits by therapy pigs called Thunder and Bolt.
Before becoming certified therapy animals and bringing joy at the pediatric unit of the hospital, these pigs underwent 9 months of training. Believe it or not, the pig’s trainer is only 10-years-old, but she’s already doing a lot of good for people.
“People get so excited, no matter if they’re an adult or a kid, they just start smiling,” says Claire Barrow, the pigs’ trainer. “It’s nice to see it because they are going through a very hard time and it’s nice to see a smile on their face.”
Claire with her pigs, Thunder and Bolt, has visiting patients and hospitals and nursing homes on daily basis. Her mom runs an organization called High-Risk Hope dedicated to helping mom with premature babies in the NICU.
This amazing girl with her pigs is becoming the next generation to bring hope to those who really need it.
