Pharmacist Praised for Kind Gesture After Family's Dog Dies

When a family was having a hard time coping with the death of their dog, a pharmacist knew just how to brighten their day.

In the dog’s absence, the family’s other dog named Diesel seemed to be suffering. Diesel had tried 2 different antianxiety medications, CTV Winnipeg reported.

When a vet faxed in a new prescription for Diesel to Shoppers Drug Mart, pharmacist Sonal Purohit added a little something extra. Alongside the medication, the family saw something else in the dog’s prescription bag: a bottle of Milk Bones with instructions to “chew 1 treat twice daily.”

Diesel’s owner, Ginette Van Roose, wrote to the Sage Creek Residents Association, which then shared the note on Facebook.

“I just want to say a big thank you to the Sage Creek Shopper's Drug Mart,” Van Roose wrote. “… Today, in our bag of meds was a ‘special’ prescription of Milk Bones. I'm assuming the pharmacist probably bought the bones out of her own money and made a special label. A kind gesture means so much to a family who is struggling. It made us smile through the tears.”

The post has received about 1500 likes, 244 shares, and more than 50 comments so far.

Commenters shared their own experiences with Purohit. One person said the pharmacist was always smiling, friendly, and helpful.

“With family and pharmacists to help him [Diesel] out through this tough time, I'm sure he'll pull through,” another commenter wrote.

Another commenter shared a story in which the pharmacists at Shoppers Drug Mart had helped her when she showed concern about a medication. The woman said the pharmacists not only answered all her questions, but also called a few weeks later to see how things were working out with the medication.

Purohit told CTV Winnipeg that she has been “prescribing” treats like this for several years.

“This is the first time it's actually got the attention that it has,” she said. “It's just my daily routine practice that I do as a pharmacist. By giving him a few treats to make him happy, that makes me happier than they will ever know—by making a big difference by doing such a small thing.”

She also encouraged other health care professionals to “look after our furry friends in our neighborhoods the same way.”