Wolfson Children’s Hospital and the Jacksonville Humane Society in Florida are now the pioneers of an amazing new program that connects children to kittens and is the first of its type in the entire country! For some of these children, it’s not possible to interact with therapy animals when they visit, because they must remain in isolation for health reasons. Therapy animals are known to have positive effects on patients, so these ingenious people decided to find a way to make it happen. Thanks to a $15,000 grant from the Mattel Children’s Foundation, this dream was able to become a reality. When the program called “Play with Cats” first opens, it resembles a video game, but it actually involves real, live cats and kittens!
Photo Credit: WTLV
Through a combination of high-speed data networks, cameras, and interactive toys (in ways I don’t profess to understand), these children are actually able to play with the kittens located at the Humane Society in real time. Depending on what button they press, they can make a specific toy move in the kitten play room, which of course catches the attention of the curious little cuties. The doctors love the program, noting how much it can brighten an otherwise dull day for these kids and serve as a distraction from their illness. The kids think it’s the most amazing thing ever and almost can’t believe how it all works. The kittens get extra play time, so the benefits are endless. I can only imagine how something like this will progress and hopefully more hospitals can benefit from such a program as well!
Photo Credit: WTLV
Watch a news report on the program here:
Source: First Coast News
