Fresh & Furry Delivery: Cobb ER Patients Get Stuffed Animals

SOUTH COBB, GA -- It may be cold outside, but a local pet store recently brought sunshine to little patients' faces when it delivered stuff animals to the pediatric emergency department at WellStar Cobb Hospital.

The initiative was a partnership between the PetSmart store in Austell and the Metro Atlanta Ambulance Service, which facilitated the deliveries.

“We keep stuffed animals in our ambulances and give them to kids experiencing anxiety during an emergency," Devan Seabaugh, vice president of Metro Atlanta Ambulance Service said in a news release. "The stuffed animal is a friendly distraction that calms them and lets them know we are there to help. We work closely with WellStar and wanted to give the team at WellStar Cobb Hospital a chance to connect with patients this way too.”

The good deed could not have been done without PetSmart customers -- many of whom bought stuffed animals only to donate them back to the store.

In all 200 stuffed toys were delivered to children and seniors to calm their spirits after an emergency room visit, PetSmart said.

Image courtesy of Wellstar Cobb Hospital