Hawaii Hospital Turns Away Horse Visitor

[n2doc]

By Associated Press
9:57 AM CDT, March 23, 2008


LIHUE, Hawaii - A man hoping to cheer up an ailing relative at Wilcox Memorial Hospital hadn't considered one of the visitation rules: No horses allowed.

The man thought the patient would enjoy seeing his stallion, said Lani Yukimura, a spokeswoman at the hospital. He and the horse entered the hospital earlier this month and rode an elevator up to the third floor, where they were met and stopped by security personnel,

Security managed to get the man and the horse out of the hospital, with "just a few scuff marks," she said.

The hospital has a pet visitation policy, but it's for dogs and cats, not horses.

"On Kauai, we have a very warm inviting atmosphere at Wilcox," Yukimura said. "We just hope people understand this is not a place for a horse."

The man's good intentions were further dashed when his relative was brought out to see the horse.

"That's not my horse," the patient said to hospital staff.
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-hospital-horse,1,7310653.story

[Squatch]

1. I would have loved to have seen that.

[LWolf]

2. That's one well-socialized and desensitized stallion,

to be able to enter a hospital and ride the elevator.

There is not a chance in hell I would ask either of my well-behaved mares to enter a building, let alone an elevator.

Of course, they have little experience with any environment off the ranch or trail.

[dkf]

3. That's not my horse? lol. The poor man.

What a sweet thing he tried to do...