Therapy animals in action

Tank, a 25-pound, 12-year-old therapy cat, sits in his stroller at the entrance to White Memorial Medical Center east of downtown L.A.

Love on 4 Paws volunteer Nikki Reagan carries Tank the therapy cat.

Woody, a therapy dog, rests his head next to Ajon Hampton, 13, of Pasadena, at White Memorial.

Woody sniffs at Tank while visiting patient James Stanley Hackworth at White Memorial Medical Center.

Lucy Duran, of Boyle Heights, pets Cabot, a golden retriever therapy dog, at White Memorial Medical Center.

Erick Tornez, 6, of South L.A. shows a photograph of him and Tank to the 25-pound ragdoll therapy cat at White Memorial Medical Center.

Connor Coughenour, 11, meets Gordon, a 173-pound Newfoundland therapy dog sitting on his hospital bed, at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Theodore Ward, 5, tries to keep up with Gordon, a Newfoundland therapy dog, as they race down the hall during Ward’s physical therapy session. His physical therapist Kim Kaloustian, top left, supervises.

Theodore Ward makes funny faces at Gordon, a Newfoundland therapy dog, after Ward put stickers on the dog during his physical therapy session.