The 73-year-old man recovers quickly After being reunited with his beloved dog

Animals are not only pets but also dear friends.

James Wathen, 73, is a terminally ill man at Baptist Health Corbin in Corbin, Kentucky. His body was sick and his mind declined, which made Wathen’s health worse and worse. After learning that Wathen was thinking of his one-eyed Chihuahua named Bubba, the nurses there worked to bring the two back together.

“When Bubba was brought to James, he felt grief, and then Bubba started cuddling with James.” Deanna Myers, director of Knox Whitley Animal Shelter, wrote on Facebook. “And it makes you realize that animals are not just pets, they are dear friends.”

Nurses tracked Bubba to the Knox-Whitley Animal Shelter after Wathen was hospitalized and discovered that the dog had been raised with a foster family. Bubba dog also has similar expressions of grief and sadness since being abandoned by its owner.

Thanks to the nurses, Wathen and Bubba were reunited on October 11, when Wathen petted and played with his dog, he felt even more amused and missed.

After petting and playing with her dog, Wathen feels more at ease.

Wathen appears to have made a full recovery during his stay. The next day the nurses reported that the patient appeared to have undergone a fundamental transition, being able to eat and sit up when he had not previously done so.

Due to Bubba’s positive effects on Wathen, Baptist Health Corbin is doing its best to ensure that Wathen has regular visits with his beloved pet.

Watch the video below.