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The 40th anniversary of TMH Animal Therapy includes a mural showing off the program's practitioners

Standing in front of the new mural are: Tallahassee Memorial President/CEO Mark O'Bryant; TMH Foundation President Nigel Allen; mural artist Nancy Upthegrove; TMH Animal Therapy Director Stephanie Perkins; and Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jack Campbell.
Tom Flanigan
Standing in front of the new mural are: Tallahassee Memorial President/CEO Mark O'Bryant; TMH Foundation President Nigel Allen; mural artist Nancy Upthegrove; TMH Animal Therapy Director Stephanie Perkins; and Second Judicial Circuit State Attorney Jack Campbell.

The Animal Therapy Program at Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare is celebrating its 40th year. Tom Flanigan reports the event included the unveiling of a big mural on an outside wall at the program's 6th Avenue headquarters on Thursday, July 24.

Animal Therapy Director Stephanie Perkins said things have come a long way since a handful of volunteers and dogs visited a few hospital patients every day.

"We have reached, I would guesstimate, over 500,000 interactions over the course of our program, probably close to a million. We do 35,000 to 50,000 every single year here, people that we interact with our animals."

Along with TMH patients, the teams also visit the regions nursing homes, schools and the courts. The program's anniversary celebration included unveiling a large mural of therapy animals painted on an outside wall of the organization's headquarters.

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Tom Flanigan has been with WFSU News since 2006, focusing on covering local personalities, issues, and organizations. He began his broadcast career more than 30 years before that and covered news for several radio stations in Florida, Texas, and his home state of Maryland.

Find complete bio, contact info, and more stories. here.