Posted June 13, 2023

Thoroughbred Escapes to Dementia Unit for a Friendly Afternoon Snack

What do a 6-foot-tall, one-thousand-pound thoroughbred and an elderly dementia unit have in common? They both like carrots. Well, that is what Maija Vance, owner of Panda, the white horse, realized after her precious friend went missing one afternoon.

Maija Vance, posted the viral story on her TikTok, showing Panda being brought back to his home after getting loose and galloping his way down to the local dementia unit. “This is 100% my fault…I took him to the dementia unit to visit the patients. They loved him and gave him carrots. Now he tries to find ways to get loose and run into town and ends up back there,” said Vance. As Upworthy reports, the recording got the kind of responses you’d expect, with one caregiver chiming in saying “as someone who works in a nursing home I can guarantee you the residents love it whenever they catch a glimpse and he is the talk of the town. Also personally my job satisfaction would be a lot higher if I had a random horse that occasionally appeared.”

This isn’t the first time Panda has run away and it may not be the last. If you are interested in keeping up with the adventures of Panda and his brother, Slim Shady, you can follow them on TikTok and Instagram. Here’s an idea: maybe Maija can consider putting out some popcorn to keep the steeds satisfied and in one place.

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