While the training requirements for therapy dogs at The Ottawa Hospital are stringent, the requirements for those who receive the therapy are not. Quite simply: must love dogs.
The Ottawa Hospital has been bringing pet therapy to patients and staff since the 1990s, thanks to our partners at Ottawa Therapy Dogs and St. John’s Ambulance, who make sure the dogs are trained and suited to a hospital environment.
“We joke that for pet therapy teams to come to a hospital, they need nerves of steel — the hospital can be more chaotic than a retirement home or some of the other places they visit,” says Alexandria White, who coordinates the program. “We kind of get the best of the best.”
The program has about 10 therapy dogs at the moment, from the classic Labradors and poodles to a 120-lb Great Pyrenees and a mini Australian Shepherd. Each dog truly becomes a part of the volunteer team at The Ottawa Hospital, even receiving their own identification badges.
Beyond cuteness overload, pet therapy has shown a huge range of benefits, including increasing social connection and oxytocin while decreasing stress hormones.
“We’ve seen it makes such a difference, both from a patient and staff perspective. The hospital can be a stressful environment but having something to break that up and be a little positive is always really nice,” says Alexandria. “You see people smiling, and they take a moment to forget about what they’re dealing with.”
One of the dogs famous for bringing happiness to the hospital was the aptly named Happy, a golden retriever. A real rock star at our General Campus, Happy brought joy to everyone he met. The outpouring of support after he crossed the rainbow bridge (a euphemism for a pet who’s passed) just goes to show how valued these furry members of our team are.
Today, dogs like Panda — a golden doodle who’s black and white, (not much golden DNA to show there!) are carrying on Happy’s legacy. Panda is known for his calm demeanour and the “hugs” he gives to patients by leaning up against them. Each dog has their own unique personality, but what they share is near-universal popularity.
“I have the best job ever,” says Alexandria — although based on the tails wagging every time the therapy dogs come through our doors, they might argue theirs is even better.
