NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) — The Children’s Hospital of the King’s Daughters (CHKD) is celebrating its 20th annual Buddy Brigade by letting the public vote for their favorite dog.
The program originally started with seven dogs, all bringing smiles and joy to children who are receiving treatment at CHKD. Currently, the program has 41 fluffy volunteers.
“When we started this program 20 years ago, we had no idea how much these pups and volunteers would mean to our patients, their families and our staff,” director of Volunteer Services and Family Centered Care Joy Parker said. “Buddy Brigade dogs provide unconditional love, motivation, peace of mind and so much more. Our organization has embraced pet therapy wholeheartedly, and we look forward to what the future brings.”
According to a release, since the start of the program, 233 dogs have been able to visit children receiving outpatient care at CHKD’s cancer clinic. Each volunteer dog has been specifically trained to work with children and have been certified by Alliance of Therapy Dogs of Pet Partners.
To mark 20 years of the program, CHKD is holding a contest on Facebook where people can vote for their favorite dogs in several categories, including most likely to steal your heart, best hair and best head tilt.
The contest will run from Aug. 4-15.
For more information or to vote for your favorite pup, click here.
Continue to check WAVY.com for updates.