Golden Retriever Puppy Comforts Elderly Care Facility Residents Who Can't Visit with Family

Having a pet in our lives can be incredibly therapeutic, but sometimes we need that companionship the most when we’re least able to access it.

Many people in elderly care facilities fondly remember their dearly departed four-legged friends, but most of those complexes don’t allow residents to have animals.

Some facilities, however, have found a way to provide critters for residents to love and be loved by — and the Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society in Scotland, South Dakota, is one of those places.

For some time, a dog named Hope patrolled the halls, giving out kisses and waiting patiently for pats.

“She became very instrumental in the residents’ day: She had her routine where she would go to certain rooms at certain times,” Pam Stewart, the facility’s social services manager and Hope’s owner, told KELO-TV. “She comforted people when they were passing away, she comforted families, she spent time with people who were depressed.”

Sadly, Hope died from lymphoma in November, and her absence was deeply felt. In January, Stewart got a new puppy, a golden retriever named Gracie.

“She was round and roly-poly, and the plan was to keep her at home for a couple of weeks and get to know her and then bring her on a limited basis,” Stewart said.

Gracie has big shoes to fill, but from photos recently shared by the Good Samaritan Society, she’s doing a stellar job already.