Penn Vet’s Ryan Veterinary Hospital is dedicated to connecting and contributing to the surrounding community. Through animal visitation, humane education and collaboration with other agencies, the program strives to build relationships, support the human–animal bond and further the larger mission of veterinary community outreach.
VETPETS at the Ronald McDonald House
As a collaborative process, the Ryan Veterinary Hospital and the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House have developed a pet-visitation program. On a weekly basis, faculty, staff and students of the School of Veterinary Medicine bring their certified dogs to the Ronald McDonald House. The animals and their human companions interact directly with children and their families living at Ronald McDonald House while coping with serious illness in the family. This program emphasizes the value and strength of the human–animal connection and the benefits of animal-assisted therapy.
