Canine Cupids Deliver Valentines to Patients at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica: Photos

SANTA MONICA, CA -- Juvenile and elderly patients stuck in the hospital on Valentine's Day got some puppy love thanks to a pet therapy program.

Patients in the pediatric and geriatric units at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica got Valentines deliveries from therapy dogs so they can celebrate Valentine’s Day despite being hospitalized.

The dogs and their handlers are part of UCLA Health’s People-Animal Connection, a pet therapy program designed to lift the spirits of hospitalized patients.

The annual event was held in collaboration with its Chase Child Life and People-Animal Connection programs, along with support from Dollies Making a Difference, an organization based in Pacific Palisades that provides ongoing support to pediatric patients at UCLA’s hospitals in Santa Monica and Westwood.

-- Photos credit: Reed Hutchison