Hometown Hero: Gina and Buster

It's a peaceable kingdom in the home of Peggy and Jim Walker.

Their 7-year-old Leonberger is named Gina. Their 9-year-old Lilac Point Siamese is named Buster. Together they are the dynamic duo of animal-assisted therapy at Baylor, Scott and White on Gaston Avenue in Dallas. 

The Leonberger was bred in 1840's Germany to look like a lion and be a gentle as a lamb. The breed is called The Gentle Giants.

Gina is a large dog, weighing about 140 pounds with long, soft fur. Buster is a darling cat that loves to sleep and he goes limp when he's picked up. They are the perfect furry medicine to visit patients.  

They lower a patient's blood pressure and heart rate and decrease the need for pain meds. They also increase the body's endorphins which are the good feeling chemicals.

There are about 100 dogs and one cat in Baylor, Scott and White's Animal Assisted Therapy Program. They'd like more animals for their seven hospital campuses.

Contact Linda.Marler@BSWHealth.org to see how your pet might qualify. He or she must be 1 to 9 years old, have passed an obedience program and then pass the test at Baylor, Scott and White.

Paws Up!