Therapy Dogs help patients heal
FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Mental Health is believed to play a big part in a patient’s healing journey. Throughout the Community Health System, volunteers come in to help out with mental health by bringing therapy dogs to patients’ rooms.
Research shows that the simple act of petting animals releases an automatic relaxation response.
“Well, we coordinate with the volunteer manager and other teams to visit staff and to visit patients as well, just to improve their quality of life,” said Bob McCallister, volunteer at Community.
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McCallister and his black and white pomeranian, Ginger, visit the hospital regularly.
“She’s relaxed, she likes her crowd, she wants to interact with people,” he said.
Ginger is small in size, she weighs less than 12 lbs, but her counterpart, Houston is the exact opposite.
“Houston is a Great Dane,” said Gina Paul, his handler. “He’s a brindle-colored Great Dane.”
However, just like Ginger and the rest of the therapy dogs, Houstons’ presence brings a sense of happiness to families who are going through tough times.
“I see how it comforts them, you know when you’re in an end-of-life room with a family that just needs a distraction and you see what the dog does for that family, it really warms your heart,” said Paul.
“The importance of therapy dogs. And there’s a lot of need. So people who are, you know, raising their puppies think about therapy work if you can volunteer because it is very rewarding to volunteer.”
