Kids with spinal injuries 'inspired' by petsRSS Feed

Spinal injury sufferers in Salt Lake City are receiving emotional support from pets.

Children who have suffered a spinal injury are getting "inspirational" visits from a paralysed terrier in America.

Piggy, a pit bull/boxer cross, has been trained as a therapy dog at Shriners Hospitals for Children in Salt Lake City, after she herself was left paralysed following a road accident.

The centre provides free surgeries for children who have suffered spinal cord injuries and are either awaiting or recovering from surgery.

Laura Lewis, a therapist at the centre, told the Salt Lake Tribune: "I've witnessed moments where a child hasn't talked to anyone else, but the second that the dog comes in the room, they will just sit down and tell a dog how they're feeling and what scares them.

"The kids love the dogs," she added.

Spinal injuries are relatively rare in children, which makes treatment more difficult, according to research carried out at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Canada.

News from Serious Law, specialist spinal injury solicitors.

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