Therapy animals bring Taylor Swift's Eras Tour to patients at UCLA Mattel Children's Hospital

A Swift-inspired fashion show, then quality time with kids.
People-Animal Connection (PAC) animal dressed up for the Taylor Swift fashion show.
People-Animal Connection dog Henry dressed as Taylor Swift in her "Evermore" album. (Photo by Denise Rick)
PAC animals gather after the Taylor Swift fashion show to celebrate a job well done.
People-Animal Connection (PAC) animals shared the stage after the show for photos with fans. (Photo by Denise Rick)

Taylor Swift’s sold-out international tour has finally arrived in Los Angeles, but some dedicated fans, patients undergoing treatment at UCLA Mattel Children’s Hospital, won’t be able to make it to a concert. To bring a taste of the highly anticipated tour to them, the therapy animals of UCLA Health’s People-Animal Connection (PAC) program donned Eras Tour costumes for a fashion show and a visit with young patients. The PAC Program is dedicated to fostering emotional healing for critically ill patients and families with the comfort and companionship therapy animals provide.

PAC animals got the red carpet treatment for the Taylor Swift fashion show.
People-Animal Connection (PAC) therapy dog Opal walks the red carpet in an outfit inspired by Taylor Swift’s album, "Speak Now." (Photo by Denise Heady)

Johnese Spisso, president of UCLA Health, CEO of UCLA Hospital System and associate vice chancellor of UCLA Health Sciences, introduced the outdoor show and the animals took it from there – puppies and a miniature horse, alike, modeling glittery dresses, hats and outfits inspired by each of Swift’s 10 albums. After the show, the animals paraded through the hospital to Swift’s music, visiting patients and their families individually and gifting them tour merchandise and friendship bracelets.

Maanasi Kademani is the author of this article.

PAC animals visited with patients at Mattel Children's Hospital following the fashion show.
After the show, the PAC animals visited patients and their families to play music and hand out tour merchandise and friendship bracelets. (Photo by Denise Rick)

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Learn more about UCLA Health's People-Animal Connection (PAC) program.