Meet the DOGtors on Call! Springfield Memorial Hospital Expands Pet Therapy Program

Adorable may be the first reaction, but what these sweet faces bring to our patients and colleagues goes so much deeper.

Springfield Memorial Hospital (SMH) is expanding its animal-assisted therapy program, “DOGtors on Call,” thanks to a generous grant from the Springfield Memorial Foundation. Four newly certified therapy dogs recently joined the care team, bringing smiles to patients and helping advance the healing process.

Before “DOGtors on Call,” there was Kylo, a six-year-old German shepherd who inspired the program, and who continues to visit patients weekly alongside Michelle Geiss, an advanced practice registered nurse and Kylo’s handler.

“Patients adore Kylo,” Michelle said. “They love to hang out with him in the activity room, play fetch with him and give him all the belly rubs. He brightens their mood and provides them comfort and companionship.”

Patient reaction to Kylo inspired a closer look from nursing leadership, followed by a $4,500 grant from the Springfield Memorial Foundation, which covered Alliance of Therapy Dogs membership fees, background checks and easily identifiable uniforms so patients and staff can recognize these special visitors throughout the hospital.

“We were delighted to help fund the DOGtors on Call program,” said foundation director Pam Hulten. “The joy it brings to our patients and colleagues is priceless!”

The dogs and their handlers spent months training together and are now ready to bring comfort, calm and a whole lot of tail-wagging to patients across SMH. The handlers volunteer their time with the dogs separate of their normal roles and responsibilities.

Meet the New DOGtors on Call

Bandit is an 8-year-old Corgi. Environmental services colleague Maureen Brusnighan rescued Bandit at two-and-a-half years old from a breeder in Missouri. Learning to lie down on command was a long time coming for Bandit, which made mastering it especially sweet. He passed his final certification exam quickly – a proud moment for the whole team.

“I hope bringing him to patients will help to relieve some stress and anxiety about being in the hospital,” Maureen said of Bandit’s new role. “Because of the wonderful gift from the foundation, I was able to learn this new skill with Bandit, and I am excited to use it to the fullest.”

Huck is a three-year-old golden retriever who does happy tap dances whenever his owner Ashley Ferris gets home. The nurse saw on social media that Huck was available for adoption and acted quickly since he reminded her of her first dog, Willow, a red golden retriever who was also a therapy dog.

“I know how grounding and comforting animals can be,” Ashley said. “I’m certain that getting to share Huck and the other dogs with patients at challenging times will be very fulfilling.”

Lucy is a two-year-old goldendoodle who joined Christine Waldhauser’s family when she was just six weeks old. Christine and her husband Mark spent 14 weeks training with Lucy. Watching her learn to assess a room and stay calm no matter what was going on in the environment was a favorite learning achievement.

“Lucy always seems to know just when you need her,” said Christine, who works as director of nursing at SMH. “Her wagging tail and calming presence instantly lifts spirits.”

Stirling is a nine-year-old red and white tri-colored Australian Shepherd who is highly intelligent and full of energy. A fast learner, Stirling helps patients open up and provides a calming presence for both patients and staff working in high-stress areas.

“I am very grateful the foundation supports volunteers who take the time to work with their dogs to make better outcomes for our patients,” said owner Craig Frank, who has worked at Memorial for 43 years, first in food and nutrition and the past 33 years as a mental health technician. “I really appreciate that Stirling is one of the DOGtors who has completed the first round of certification through the foundation’s generosity.”

Want to learn more about the Springfield Memorial Foundation and the programs it helps fund? Visit memorial.health.