Children’s Hospitals Expand Use of Facility Dogs for Patient Support
Research shows brief interactions can lower pain and stress, while hospitals expand full-time dog programs to help children cope and stay active.
- Children's hospitals are increasingly adopting full-time facility dogs, with nonprofit Canine Assistants placing more than 80 dogs nationally at institutions like Mount Sinai Kravis Children's Hospital in New York and Norton Children's in Louisville, Kentucky.
- Director Kerri Rodriguez of the Human-Animal Bond Lab at the University of Arizona notes that 'animal-assisted therapies' improve well-being, as short interactions decrease stress, lower blood pressure, and reduce pain levels in children.
- At Cincinnati Children's, Hadley and two other facility dogs provide essential emotional support during difficult medical procedures, while handler Scott, a child life assistant, helps normalize the hospital environment for young patients.
- Recently, 5-year-old Calvin Owens found a moment of joy playing fetch with Hadley while tethered to medical equipment, and patients like 14-year-old Aspen Franklin and 11-year-old Bethany Striggles rely on these dogs for comfort after long hospitalizations.
- The annual Facility Dog Summit reflects this growth, with attendance nearly doubling between 2024 and 2025, demonstrating continued expansion of full-time dog programs across pediatric healthcare settings nationwide.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Meet the hospital dogs 'making a real difference' by getting sick kids to smile
The first time 5-year-old Calvin Owens went outside in more than a month, he met up with his canine friend Hadley on a hospital patio. Despite being tethered to equipment with wires and tubes, the little boy managed to stand up near his wheelchair long enough to toss her a ball. He smiled as she ran to fetch it. Caregivers cheered. “Look how good you’re doing!” said Hadley’s handler, Schellie Scott. Such small victories and moments of joy are co…
Associated Press News
Good dog! More children’s hospitals turn to furry caregivers to help kids heal
Moments of joy are common whenever hospital facility dogs show up to spend time with patients. These furry caregivers aren’t the typical therapy dogs volunteers bring to hospitals.
Correio da Manhã
sabado.ptHospitals asked for cheats in the United States is to bet on trained c es to provide emotional support to raise patients, reducing anxiety and helping patients to deal better with treatments and long hospitalizations.
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