'Dog Loyalty' Award: Joy, the labrador who saved her owner's life, and the 'Gimme Five!' project

The 'Primus inter pares' award of the 64th edition of the international 'Dog Loyalty' award was awarded to Joy, a two-year-old labrador. His insistence on a specific point on his owner's body gave a signal that led, following medical checks, to the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, saving her life. Now, thanks to Barbara and Joy, the Treviso hospital has a room dedicated to the meeting between the patient and their pet and with the experimental project 'Compagnia che cura', it allows cancer patients to have their pet next to them during chemotherapy sessions. Special award to the 'Gimme Five!' project with Cloè, Eevee, Google, Happy and Lana, respectively 12 and 4 year old golden retrievers, 7 year old jack russel terriers, 7 and 3 year old golden retrievers. These are the dogs used in the project conceived and implemented by Il Porto dei piccolo and aimed at the young patients of the Giannina Gaslini Institute in Genoa. A project which now involves 19 departments of the Institute continuously throughout the year. 'Gimme Five! - Qua la zampa' is an Animal Assisted Interventions (IAA) project, conceived and implemented by the Il Porto dei Piccoli Foundation and aimed - from 2016 to today - at children hospitalized at the Genoese Pediatric Institute. The multidisciplinary team of Il Porto dei piccolo, in synergy with the staff of the Gaslini Institute, brings specially trained dogs to young patients two days a week throughout the year. Between exams, therapies and long waits, children often experience moments of fear and loneliness: with dogs come resources that make the difference, the sweetness of an approaching paw, a kind look, a reassuring presence, moments of normality, games and smiles. The awards ceremony is scheduled for this afternoon in San Rocco di Camogli.