SPOKANE, Wash. — Providence K-9 units share some holiday cheer and brought a smile to children at Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center and Children’s Hospital on Wednesday.
K-9 teams from several local law enforcement agencies around the Inland Northwest joined the Providence K-9 Unit and delivered gifts to patients and caregivers at the local hospital before Christmas.
The K-9 is an annual tradition for officers and deputies to deliver gifts to Providence patients. With the COVID-19 pandemic, the teams have to adapt to new safety guidelines, and the visit to the hospital looked a little different this year, but that didn't stop the joy for the children who loved the visit of the police dogs.
K-9 members were required to complete a COVID-19 symptom screening before entering the hospital, and they visited the patients outside their rooms.
Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center was the first hospital in Washington State to start the K-9 Security Program back in 2019.