'You're a good dog': St. Boniface hospital unveils portrait of Rusty, Winnipeg's glasses-wearing therapy dog
Rusty and owner George Ames have been volunteering at hospital 3 days a week since 2010
A beloved, bespectacled fixture at Winnipeg's St. Boniface Hospital will have a permanent place in its halls, after the official portrait of Rusty the glasses-wearing therapy dog was formally unveiled Tuesday.
"It's beautiful. I think they got his good side," said George Ames, Rusty's owner and fellow volunteer. The pair have spent three days a week volunteering at the hospital since 2010, providing comfort to patients and staff alike.
"We started in palliative care, people at the end of their lives. And sometimes he would get people talking who hadn't talked for days," Ames said. "It's the magic of an animal, of a dog — a good-looking dog with glasses."
Rusty and Ames are now greeters in the Everett Atrium, which is where the portrait will hang.
Rusty is among nine pet volunteers, and Ames among 370 human ones, at the hospital, said Jennifer Cawson, manager of volunteer services at St. Boniface. The volunteers collectively contribute roughly 40,000 hours per year.
The portrait is a gift to the hospital from physicians and residents in the University of Manitoba medicine class of 2015, who commissioned the painting from Ottawa pet portraitist Gail MacGregor.
It took MacGregor the better part of a year to finish the painting, which was completed in October.
Dr. Stephen Cashman, part of the group that came up with the idea to commission the portrait, said Rusty has made a difference in his own mood after long, stressful days at work.
"Not just for me. I also saw the effect that Rusty had on patients," he said.
"Thank you, Rusty. We appreciate your hard work. We appreciate all you've done for us. You're a good dog."
