Why did you want to bring therapy dogs into your facility?
Renown Health acknowledges the healing power of animals in the healthcare setting and wanted to be able to bring healing, joy and smiles to patients and staff.
How long have you had therapy dog visits at your facility?
Our program began in 1997, paused in 2020 and resumed in 2021.
Did you run into any complications when starting a therapy dog program?
According to the original coordinator -the biggest hurdles we faced involved updating hospital policy, it takes time and multiple leaders to approve.
How long are visits and how many dogs do you have visit at a time?
Visits are as long as each team is comfortable with. There is no limit to how many teams can visit our campuses at any given time.
Do you have a specific therapy dog visit that touched you?
One of my favorite memories was when Rory and I were able to visit with a little patient that was in the Children’s ER. This patient loved Rory and was singing and talking to him. A few minutes in, I was surprised when they set a timer on their phone for 10 minutes, to make sure they “didn’t take too much of Rory’s time and to be sure he could visit other kids.” When the timer went off, they hugged Rory goodbye and asked if we visited everyone else and had more time maybe we could come back for one more hug? Of course we did and this patient ended up getting two visits. I was so humbled that this kiddo, who was not feeling well, was thinking of the joy Rory would bring to others and made sure they got visits as well. Such a sweet memory, we won’t forget that little patient and their thoughtfulness.
A note about our program:
Our current program includes more than 50 therapy dogs. They and their handlers contributed over 2,000 hours of service in 2024. Nearly all of our therapy dogs are certified through Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD), and we are proud to support incoming teams by serving as a local testing site. Our program’s reach includes the networks two main hospitals, Children’s hospital, a Rehabilitation hospital, Crisis Care Center, Breast Cancer Care center, off campus Pharmacy, Insurance division, and Transfer and Operations center.
Our therapy dogs do far more than weekly visits. They participate in hospital parades, photo booths, our annual calendar, and many special events throughout the year, bringing comfort and joy wherever they go.
Over the years, the stories of hope and healing created by these teams have been countless. From patients who spoke their first words in months to say the name of a favorite furry visitor, to staff members who pause in busy hallways to drop their belongings and share a quiet cuddle, the impact is deeply felt.
We are incredibly grateful for our dedicated handlers, whose kindness, compassion, and intuition allow them to know when and where their dogs are most needed.
Our therapy dogs come in all shapes and sizes, but the impact they make on our patients, families, and staff is truly immeasurable.
Ready to share your story?
Is your facility interested in being highlighted in our ATD Dog Blog? Email monicac@therapydogs.com for more information!
