Eli got off to a tough start in life. The three legged dog was picked up as a stray, battled a case of heartworm, just escaped euthanasia, and survived the harrowing experience that was hurricane Katrina.
Now the furry marvel spends his days working at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital, comforting young patients as they battle cancer. His brand of therapy is a big hit with those he touches, and his owner believes that on some level, his ability to relate to adversity makes him uniquely qualified to do his job.
“He has this amazing ability to still be happy through all of his challenges and I think that’s the strong message. When I bring him here the families ask about his leg and his story and I think they identify with all of the things he’s been through,” Sallie McWilliams said.
