A Lovely Day for Zilly
The Inn’s loyal therapy dog, friend to all who walk through the doors, turns 12 on Valentine’s Day
For more than a decade, Valentine’s Day at The Children’s Inn at NIH has meant more than just exchanging cards and sharing chocolates. In fact, chocolates are off limits for the guest of honor at The Inn’s annual Valentine’s Day party. Because in addition to being a worldwide celebration of love, February 14 is also Zilly the Therapy Dog’s birthday.
On Thursday, The Inn community gathered to celebrate her 12th birthday at a party in The Inn’s community kitchen. Tables were set up with dog-themed treats, such as red and pink frosted cookies shaped like dog bones, as well as stickers and crafts about everyone’s favorite Australian Labradoodle.
“We love every opportunity we get to celebrate Zilly!” said The Inn’s Family Program Operations Manager Kristin Arabian, whose team organized the party. “So many of our residents call Zilly their favorite thing about The Inn. She is always there to provide a welcoming presence and make The Inn ‘A Place Like Home.’”
Zilly arrived at The Inn just before her first birthday in 2015 and has served as The Inn’s certified therapy dog ever since. The hypoallergenic mix between a Labrador retriever and poodle has quickly created bonds with newcomers, both young and old, providing a furry friend for anyone who might want one, whether they are visiting The Inn for a few hours or staying for several months.
Through her role as a certified therapy dog, Zilly also makes regular visits to families undergoing inpatient treatments at the NIH Clinical Center. Her visits there brighten the days of some of the children who aren’t yet able to leave the hospital.
Teen Ambassadors, local middle and high school-aged volunteers between the ages of 12-18, helped Arabian and The Inn’s programming team decorate for Valentine’s Day and Zilly’s party. The teens also interacted with the families in attendance and spent one-on-one time with the residents as they worked on crafts, including cookie decorating and Zilly-themed art projects. The guest of honor was adorned with a birthday hat, but quickly shook it off and made her rounds, nuzzling up to the children and volunteers who had come to celebrate her.
“Zilly’s birthday party is one of our favorite events of the year,” smiled Arabian. “She does so much all year to make The Inn such a welcoming place, and we love taking every opportunity we can to show her how much she is loved by everyone here at The Children’s Inn.”
