Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. (October 24th, 2025) – To celebrate Halloween, the families at San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House are going to be treated to something sweeter than candy – the loving snuggles of Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Pet Encounter Therapy (PET) Pets. In a special effort to provide joy and healing to young patients, along with their siblings and parents, the two organizations are uniting to let therapy pets, in adorable seasonal costumes, do the thing they do best. The heart-warming visit is being underwritten by Joey’s Wings, a charity that provides funding for childhood cancer research and support services for families navigating a cancer diagnosis. The media is invited to this private and wonderful event – Monday, October 27th between 6:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
MEDIA: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1fUJP0mRRpvOXvUWLfUMlw9n1Nwybgm–?usp=sharing
San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House provides a “home away from home” for families with children being treated for serious, often life-threatening conditions at local hospitals. San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House was specifically designed to provide the necessities of home – including 82 guest suites, a family kitchen and a children’s play area – to help strengthen families and bolster their psychological well-being during difficult times, regardless of their situation or ability to pay. Since it began in 1980, thousands of children and their families have made a temporary home there. Studies have shown that children heal faster when families are near, and parents and healthy siblings can manage challenges better when residing together.
Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Pet Encounter Therapy is, in essence, “cuddle therapy.” The program brings the unconditional love and tactile benefits of animals to patients inside skilled nursing facilities, children’s shelters, hospitals, psychiatric units and many more. The basis of the important therapy stems from studies showing that holding and caressing an animal provides benefits such as relaxation, lower blood pressure, decreasing anxiety, and increasing positivity.
Over the past few years, Helen Woodward Animal Centers PET animals have shared costumed Halloween snuggles with other groups, including Sharp Memorial Hospital nurses and doctors, but this will be the first time the Center’s therapy pets have provided such a visit to the Ronald McDonald House patients and families. The new relationship was initiated by the founder of Joey’s Wings, who had a heartfelt connection to both organizations.
Joey’s Wings was founded in 2013 by Kathy Liu, to honor the beloved memory of her 9-year old son who lost his life to kidney cancer. Joey’s Wings first began partnering with Helen Woodward Animal Center’s Pet Encounter Therapy (PET) program in 2019. Joey had greatly benefitted from the family dog Addie, who was with him in the hospital throughout his final days. A considerable goal for Joey’s Wings has been to secure animal therapy for families outside the hospital, including childhood cancer survivors and outpatients.
On Monday, October 27th, the costumed therapy pets of Helen Woodward Animal Center’s PET Program will be set up at separate stations at the Ronald McDonald House, with a unique treat at each stop. Patients and their families are invited to visit the Halloween festivities and receive a prize, activation or game presented by each pup. The sweetest treat of all, of course, will be the kind and healing cuddles from all the furry friends.
“There is so much work that goes into fighting a serious illness, for both the child and its family,” said Helen Woodward Animal Center PET Manager Robin Cohen. “Bringing a few moments of downtime, laughter, healing and peace to these individuals is something that therapy animals do so well. It is an honor for all of us to bring some holiday happiness to these special families and treat them to Halloween joy sweeter than any candy.”
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About Helen Woodward Animal Center
Helen Woodward Animal Center is a private, non-profit organization where “people help animals and animals help people.” Founded in 1972 in Rancho Santa Fe, Calif., the Center provides services for more than 90,000 people and more than 10,000 animals annually through adoptions, educational and therapeutic programs both onsite and throughout the community. Helen Woodward Animal Center is also the creator of the International Home 4 the Holidays pet adoption drive, the International Remember Me Thursday® campaign and The Business of Saving Lives Workshops, teaching the business of saving lives to animal welfare leaders from around the world. For more information, go to: https://animalcenter.org.
About Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego
Founded in 1980, Ronald McDonald House Charities® of San Diego provides a “home-away-from-home,” which keeps families close to one another and the care they need when their child is being treated for serious, often life-threatening conditions at local hospitals. San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House was specifically designed to provide the necessities of home – including 82 guest suites, a family kitchen and a children’s play area – to help strengthen families and bolster their psychological well-being during difficult times, regardless of their situation or ability to pay. In 2025, San Diego’s Ronald McDonald House added 28 new rooms through its Imagine the Moment campaign. To learn more, visit https://rmhcsd.org.
