St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Starts Dog Program
Last month, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital welcomed two new colleagues to their staff — Huckleberry, a Golden Doodle, and Puggle, a Golden Retriever, are the newest members of the Child Life department at the St. Jude Paws at Play facility dog program. Read more on these special dogs below!
Paws at Play
St. Jude Paws at Play is a new program that the hospital is putting out to ensure patients and their families feel safe and at home in the hospital. The dogs will offer therapeutic support, playtime, and love to young patients who just need some unconditional support. St. Jude patients often have weakened immune systems, so the dogs provide social interaction, stress reduction, and sensory stimulation for the children.
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Background of the Dogs
Huckleberry and Puggle were trained by Canine Assistants, which is an Atlanta-based nonprofit that trains service dogs and places them in hospitals. The organization takes the dogs from the time they are just eight weeks of age until they’re ready to be placed in hospitals. Their training is based on forming bonds with people, so they understand the importance of secure attachments between dogs and people. Huckleberry and Puggle will probably see about four to six patients a day, with adequate rest in between visits.
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is the only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center that is devoted solely to children. Through the hospital’s research and phenomenal care, the childhood cancer survival rate has increased from just 20% to 80% since the hospital’s opening around 50 years ago. St. Jude freely shares its knowledge and doesn’t charge families for treatment, travel, housing, and food because of its motto that families should only worry about helping their child live. Donate to this incredible organization today!
Paws at Play is a powerful program from an even more impressive organization. Just one more reason that we don’t deserve dogs!