Tiny Therapy Dog Embarks on 375 Mile Hike Across California to Raise Awareness for Hospice Care скачать в хорошем качестве

Tiny Therapy Dog Embarks on 375 Mile Hike Across California to Raise Awareness for Hospice Care

Meet Hachi, a tiny therapy dog that usually spends his days comforting and snuggling up with patients at Advanced Home Health and Hospice in Sacramento, California. But since Monday, the 16-pound pup has been trekking through California wilderness -- navigating mountainous terrain and snowy trails with his owner, Jeff Douglas, who is also the hospice's chaplain. The duo are on a what Douglas has called "Hachi's Hike for Hospice," a journey and campaign to raise awareness about hospice care and dispel the negative misconceptions that come with the term. "Over the last few years, I've noticed that there's been a lot of misconceptions about the purpose of hospice and that a lot of people come way too late to get the benefits of hospice care," Douglas told ABC News today. "So, I thought, why don't we leverage Hachi's charm and personality and do a great feat that will be big enough to get more people to listen to our message?" How Jedi the Dog Helps His Little 'Master' Luke Battle Type 1 Diabetes Dog Runs Away and Shows Up at Hospital Where Owner Is Battling Cancer 'Determined' Dog Leads Police Officer to Where Trapped Canine Best Friend Was Trapped Douglas said he hopes he and Hachi can "start important conversations about end-of-life planning" with people they meet while adventuring from the California-Nevada border to the Pacific Ocean for the next three weeks. PHOTO: Jeff Douglas, a chaplain at Advanced Hospice in Sacramento, California, embarked on a 375-mile and 25-day-long hike with his 5-year-old dog Hachi, Sept. 12, 2016, to raise awareness for hospice care. Hachi the Wonderdog/ Facebook Jeff Douglas, a chaplain at Advanced Hospice in Sacramento, California, embarked on a 375-mile and 25-day-long hike with his 5-year-old dog Hachi, Sept. 12, 2016, to raise awareness for hospice care. more + "So many people think hospice care is about dying, when really, it's about life and living the end of life on your own terms," he said. "We want to plant the seed and help people see it's important to have these conversations about end-of-life planning now. The ER is not the time to have those conversations." And though the chaplain is incredibly passionate about hospice care and the patients, Douglas said he also wants to use the hike for him and Hachi enjoy the outdoors and each other's company. PHOTO: Jeff Douglas, a chaplain at Advanced Hospice in Sacramento, California, embarked on a 375-mile and 25-day-long hike with his 5-year-old dog Hachi, Sept. 12, 2016, to raise awareness for hospice care. Hachi the Wonderdog/ Facebook Jeff Douglas, a chaplain at Advanced Hospice in Sacramento, California, embarked on a 375-mile and 25-day-long hike with his 5-year-old dog Hachi, Sept. 12, 2016, to raise awareness for hospice care. more + The chaplain explained he has been with Hachi since the Chihuahua-Shiba Inu mix was a puppy. Douglas said he first came across Hachi over five years ago when he caught sight of a group of girls playing with the "cutest little puppy" he had ever seen. When he asked what the dog's name was, the girls said, "Hachi," which blew Douglas' mind because he had just recently watched a movie inspired by the true story of Hachiko, a dog who became famous in Japan during the '20s and '30s for his loyalty.