Polish MP Katarzyna Piekarska has introduced a legislative proposal to grant hospice and palliative care patients the right to contact with their pets to alleviate suffering.
Legislative Amendments
The project proposed by Katarzyna Piekarska aims to change two regulations in the Act on Patient Rights and the Patient Rights Ombudsman. It proposes that patients in stationary hospices or palliative care units have the right to contact with their pets, although this may be limited due to epidemic threats, health security, or facility organizational constraints.
Hugging a Companion
Piekarska, an oncology patient herself, emphasizes the importance of being able to see and hug a beloved dog or cat during difficult final moments. The project also aims to enable dog therapy in hospices or palliative care units, noting that animals act as excellent “psychologists” who help the sick.
The project’s justification notes that animal contact reduces stress, lowers blood pressure, improves mood, and increases motivation for rehabilitation among children, seniors, oncology patients, and individuals with anxiety or depression. Such contact can provide emotional and physical relief and assist in navigating a changed social role.
Inspiration from Professor Dzierżanowski
The initiative was inspired by Professor Tomasz Dzierżanowski of the WUM Clinical Center of Palliative Medicine in Warsaw. His support for a “Patient’s Charter for Contact with Companion Animals” has already been signed by more than 30,000 people.
