I was caring for a patient when I overheard Shelley speaking with him about his dog. Shelley was there to reassure the patient that someone had gone by his home to provide food and water for his dog. She also let him know that she had made arrangements for the local fire department in his neighborhood to stop by his home on a daily basis to feed the dog and make sure that he had adequate water until the patient could be discharged and return home. Shelley had even supplied the food for the patient's dog.
I told Shelley how nice she was for arranging this, and she stated that the patient was not willing to stay in the hospital because no one was available to care for his dog. If the patient would have left, I believe it would have resulted in him becoming very critically ill. Because of Shelley's kindness and concern for this patient and his best friend, the man was able to get the care that he needed and be able to rest comfortably knowing that his pet was being cared for in his absence.