Be a Force for Good A Legacy of Giving

2024 marked the 10-year anniversary of the Adventist Health White Memorial Los Angeles Pet Therapy Program, also known as Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT). 

We’re grateful for volunteers like Tina Appel and her dog, Belle, from Love on 4 Paws, who bring smiles to our patients and help speed up their recovery. 

Tina and her 16-year-old black Maltipoo, Belle, are on a strict schedule every other Sunday at Adventist Health White Memorial beginning at 11 a.m.; however, they never know who they’re going to meet during their rounds at the hospital.  Tina offers a friendly question to patients — “Would you like some pet therapy today?” — to find those who are eager to meet her canine companion.

The answer is generally yes, and the encounter builds a memory that lasts a lifetime. “We have patients that leave comments on our website that they still remember the time a pet therapy dog visited them in the hospital,” says Tina. Interaction is particularly valuable during the holidays when mental health issues increase for many.  

In fact, it’s our hospital associates who wait for a visit from Belle as much as the patients. “I know who to see and make sure they get a chance to see Belle, and you can see how bright their smiles become when she visits,” explains Tina.  

We express our heartfelt gratitude to the Lynne Whaley-Welty family for their generous support making the pet therapy program possible. Their contributions have played a vital role in making it a success, and we couldn’t have reached this milestone without their generosity.  

Lynne Whaley-Welty served as the Senior Vice President of Clinical Operations at Adventist Health White Memorial for 30 years. Lynne’s legacy of giving continued after her passing, through her family’s pursuit of her charitable goals of making quality care accessible to everyone.  

To get involved and support our program, visit our volunteering y legacy giving webpages, or contact us to learn more.