Wearing a red Buckeye T-shirt and hospital ID, Sam was ready to make his rounds. But he didn’t even make it out of the lobby at the Ohio State Ross Heart Hospital before a family asked if he would come to their mother’s room to visit.
When Sam, a 6-year-old Chihuahua mix, visited the hospital on Saturday, patients and visitors could forget the sickness and pain for a while.
Sam and his owner, Keri Shuman, 24, volunteer as members of the Pet Pal Program at University Hospital East. They are one of about 15 teams who visit patients at OSU hospitals. While most OSU hospitals are involved with the program, the James Cancer hospital does not allow Pet Pal visits, said Margaret High-Thomas, coordinator of the program.
Pets and their owners typically visit for a few hours every week or two.
Studies have shown that interaction with service dogs lowers blood pressure, promotes relaxation and relieves anxiety and stress, according to a brochure for the program.
It seems to work for the patients.
Marianne Clapper, a patient at Ross Heart Hospital, said a visit from dogs like Sam “makes you more cheerful, makes you smile.”
One patient cried after petting him because she missed the cats she had not been able to see since August. Others smiled, and another just said hello before letting Sam see other patients. Michael Kling, who has been in the hospital for a couple weeks, said it was great to have a visitor from the animal kingdom.
Jenn Dollery, a nurse at the hospital, said dog visits helps patients with post-open-heart surgery depression.
“Our patients are here for a long time and it’s good to have something more normal,” Dollery said.
Nurses will often request a pet visit if they feel a patient would benefit.
“It’s like a family member visiting,” said Beth Harpster, another nurse.
High-Thomas said employees also benefit from dog visits.
“Taking care of sick people is stressful so it’s a nice break for them,” she said.
Sam was registered with Therapy Dogs International before he started visits at the hospital. Shuman underwent a background check and volunteer training before being accepted to the program with Sam. She also works at the hospital as a patient care associate.
High-Thomas said there are three organizations Pet Pals uses to register dogs: Delta Society, Therapy Dogs International, and Therapy Dog Inc.
Not everyone makes it through the screening process, though, High-Thomas said.
Past the smiles and tears, the benefits of a Pet Pal visit cannot be measured and are not written in a patient’s chart as therapy.
But High-Thomas said that “even just making someone feel better for five minutes” is important.”
