Peyo, the horse, and his owner and trainer, Hassen Bouchakour, once competed in dressage events. Over time, Hassen noticed that after shows, Peyo was looking for human contact. He would pick out people in the crowd, approach them and choose to stay next to them for a long time.
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Now, 19-year-old Peyo is a therapy horse and he and his handler spend their time doing rounds in the Calais Hospital in northern France. Peyo comforts and spends his time with terminally ill patients in their last moments.
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“What really pushed scientists to take an interest in him and open the health establishment doors to us, was this [seeming] ability to greatly reduce [the patients’ dosages of] all hard drugs and thus allow a more peaceful departure,” Hassen commented.
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After years of research, veterinary specialists believe Peyo’s brain functions uniquely and seems able to detect when humans have cancers and tumors.
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h/t: The Guardian
Photos: Jeremy Lempin, @docteur_peyo
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