June 28, 2023

Many of us would love to have a dog for a co-worker, especially one of our highly trained, well-behaved facility dogs at Texas Children’s. Our animal assisted therapy coordinators will tell you it’s a dream job and they wouldn’t trade it for the world, but it’s also a lot of hard work. Being a facility dog handler is a huge commitment.

How they got started

Facility dog handlers at Texas Children’s start as child life specialists, and many of them gain years of experience in the field before they get involved in the Pawsitive Play program. There’s a two-year minimum requirement as a child life specialist before you can apply for the program. For anyone interested in these roles, it’s recommended to get plenty of experience first and understand your own personal goals.

“I would encourage anyone interested in being a handler to be confident in their child life and people skills before applying, because there are a lot of added responsibilities in this role,” said Hanna Kuhn who works with Pluto in the outpatient clinics of Mark Wallace Tower.

Shelby Bonnet, who works with Pinto, recommends doing research, making connections with current handlers to ask questions, and shadowing them to gain an understanding of everything involved in this role. While it is a very rewarding job, there’s a lot of extra work involved, as well as added financial and physical responsibilities.

Working as a team

Treating patients is a team effort for the facility dogs and handlers. The dogs add to the work child life specialists already do, so they provide enhanced care for patients during their visits.

Angus, Bailey, Cohen, Pinto and Pluto are the facility dogs in our Pawsitive Play program. They are trained to provide goal-oriented therapeutic interventions and emotional support for hospitalized children as well as their families and our staff, and they are full-time employees of the hospital. Texas Children’s also has a group of volunteer therapy dogs who visit patients every other week and are trained to be friendly and provide comfort to all types of people through physical and emotional affection.

Being with a dog all the time in a hospital full of people also requires the handler to be alert and aware of their surroundings at all times. “We are constantly making assessments about the environments we are in, checking for anything that might put the dogs in a stressful situation. We need to check the dogs’ emotions and needs to make sure we can advocate for them, while also scanning the people around us to make sure no one is afraid of them. When you have a dog with you every day, there’s always something to be thinking about,” said Meg Gustafson who works with Angus at West Campus.

Where the day takes them

Each day is different for the specialists as it depends on the patients admitted, events happening or consults from clinical staff. Typically, the day starts with a review of clinic schedules and consults, morning meetings and developing plans for patient visits.

Before they visit patients, the dogs are groomed (brushing/ear cleaning) and taken out for a potty break. After seeing 2-3 patients, it’s break time for the dogs where they can relax, play and get ready for the next set of patients. The specialists will chart and perform administrative tasks before seeing more patients.

“One of the things we do as facility dog handlers on a daily basis is assess the needs of our patients and prioritize the order and type of interventions we provide. This allows us to maximize patient care while also protecting the emotional state of our facility dog while at work,” said Adair Winget who works with Bailey. “Our goal is to balance the medical based goals of our patients while also supporting their emotional needs. When we provide patient care interventions, we are mindful of the environments we expose our facility dogs to, which allows us to manage their stress and minimize their burn out.”

Emotional roller coaster

The handlers all agree the most rewarding part of the job is seeing the impact they make every day with their dogs. “Witnessing the absolute joy he brings to everyone he meets” and “giving patients a piece of normal so they can forget for just a moment they’re inside a hospital” are some of the biggest rewards.

Unfortunately, one of the biggest responsibilities for the handlers and dogs is providing comfort during tough conversations, procedures and sometimes end of life support.

Meg commented, “It’s a privilege to be trusted and asked to be present in those times, and we are always happy to help, but those situations are hard and weigh heavy on the heart.”

When asked what her proudest moment is at Texas Children’s, Shelby shared, “Every day is a proud moment… we get to serve the patients and families here and make a difference in some of the most painful and happiest days of their lives. Each patient and family here are on their own journey, and the fact we’re able to be a part of it is absolutely amazing.”

To pet or not to pet

If you run into one of our handlers and their facility dogs, please ask the handler first if it’s okay for you to interact with the dog, understanding they may be wiped out from patient interactions and need to recharge. Any interaction, even just to stop and say hi, takes energy. They need to make sure they conserve the majority of their energy for patients.

“Our facility dogs love to meet and greet everyone in their environments, and they take on the emotions of their surroundings. It’s our job as their handlers to advocate for their needs to maintain their health and well-being,” said CJ Canlas who works with Cohen in The Woodlands. “When it’s time for a break, we create a safe space for them to recharge in the office or advocate for them to walk in the hallway uninterrupted. As much as they love to engage with everyone, they do not recognize the need to preserve endurance for the quality interventions we will be using them in for the rest of the day. If we’re ever unable to stop in the hallway to chat, it’s likely due to prioritizing their energy for patient care.”

April 7, 2022

It’s been more than five impactful years since the Pawsitive Play Program started at Texas Children’s, breaking ground as the first program of its kind in the Texas Medical Center.

With the generous support of Judy and Bobby Shakouls, our first therapy dog, Elsa, and her handler and Child Life Specialist Sarah Herbek became pioneers – forging a path that would leave a lasting imprint on nearly 2,000 patients and their families in more than 12,000 bedside interventions.

Now 7 years old, Elsa will retire from Texas Children’s on April 8 and take Herbek with her. It’s a bittersweet goodbye for everyone the duo has encountered during their service, including many team members across the organization.

“Over the years with Elsa by my side, I have been inspired by the thousands of patients and families we’ve met and so grateful to have become part of their journeys,” said Herbek, who had been a child life specialist for two years when she learned about funding for the new animal-assisted therapy program and found Elsa.

After completing a year-and-a-half of training, the pair were ready to begin helping patients in acute care.

“I have witnessed incredible resiliency that oftentimes I wouldn’t have believed if I hadn’t seen it myself,” Herbek said. “There is truly nothing I am more proud of than the growth and the impact of the Pawsitive Play Program. Years from now, I hope our wonderful patients and families will think back on their time at Texas Children’s Hospital and remember that in their darkest days, the love of a golden retriever made their experience just a little bit easier.”

‘The Magic of Elsa’

After piloting the program, Herbek and the Child Life team learned more about Elsa’s temperament and found she would be ideally suited to work with patients in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and eventually Oncology, where Elsa has spent close to five years caring for those in need.

In fact, Elsa and Herbek dedicated their last three weeks at Texas Children’s entirely to our pediatric cancer patients – sitting with them, keeping them calm and bringing joy to stressful days.

“By the time I meet the child, they have usually come through the emergency center, been poked and prodded and told that something is very wrong. Everything is new and unfamiliar. The sounds, the smells, the people in scrubs who keep coming into a room that looks sterile and nothing like home,” Herbek said. “They fear the unknown or worse, what they have just learned and oftentimes at this point they begin to shut down. But then Elsa walks in the room.

“The mood of the room immediately changes. Suddenly they see something familiar. Something friendly. Something that feels like home. Elsa hops up in their bed and they feel safe. This interaction changes everything. Many times, this is the first time their parents will see their child smile since walking through the hospital doors,” she said.

That was the case for the Vigil family, whose 14-year-old daughter, Christiana, has greatly benefitted from the comfort provided by Elsa and Herbek throughout multiple hospitalizations and a recent bone marrow transplant at Texas Children’s.

“Our daughter has spent many months in the hospital since her diagnosis with the most recent stay being 70 days straight which included Christmas and New Year’s,” said Keri Vigil, Christian’s mother. “There were times that Sarah and Queen Elsa were the only thing that brought a smile to Christiana’s face. ?They will forever hold a special place in our hearts and we will be forever grateful for all they have done for our daughter.”

Herbek refers to it as “the magic of Elsa.”

“Elsa becomes their loyal friend. One who is not judgmental of how they look when they lose their hair, the new scar they have or that they use a wheelchair now when it’s too painful to walk,” Herbek said. “There will be bumps along the way, but there is never a doubt that during their stay, they will see her wet nose push open their hospital room door as she makes her way to their beds.

“Elsa is there to see them through their whole journey. The good days, the bad days, the days when even she can’t help. She’s there. She will be there with them until the end because she has become part of the family.”

A fond farewell

With Elsa’s departure, therapy dogs Bailey, Pinto and Pluto will fill Elsa’s paw prints at the Medical Center campus and ensure our patients receive ongoing love and attention. Other therapy dogs in our system include Cohen at The Woodlands hospital campus, and our newest member, Angus, who joined West Campus in December 2021.

Among the canines’ biggest fans are their two-legged colleagues – many of whom have poured out messages of love and support for Elsa and Sarah in the days leading up to their departure. You can leave your own well-wishes and sweet words of good-bye by clicking HERE.

“Sarah and Elsa – you have bettered so many lives throughout your time with Texas Children’s. I am so grateful that I was able to spend time with you both. Thank you for bringing so many smiles to the faces of our patients, their families and staff. Congratulations to you, and enjoy retirement! People may forget many things such as names, titles and words but “people will never forget how you made them feel.”…. We love you!,” wrote Kelsey Mihm.

“Dear Sarah and Elsa, you have pioneered AAT at TCH and your legacy will forever touch patients, families and staff for decades to come. Wishing you love, happiness, peace, rest, and bountiful joy on your next adventures,” wrote Jess Casas.

“Elsa, some people say that dogs don’t belong in hospitals, but then neither do children. It was really cool working in a hospital with a dog like you whose sole purpose was to cheer patients up. And you sure did the job, from what I hear. We’ll miss you! Have a happy “retirement” and enjoy taking a great big nap every day. You did good,” wrote Jerry Miller.

For more information about Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program, click here.

July 7, 2020

Some of Texas Children’s most beloved employees are back in the office! Members of Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play program started seeing patients again last week prompting some much-needed laughter, smiles and fun.

Designed to enhance the emotional well-being of patients and families in the hospital, the program’s animal-assisted therapy dogs provide support to those who may be having trouble coping with a hospital stay, new diagnosis or certain medical procedure.

Our dogs work full time alongside their animal-assisted therapy coordinators and consult with the multidisciplinary team to provide goal-oriented, therapeutic interventions and emotional support for hospitalized children as well as families and staff.

“We want to ensure thoughtful and intentional visits for each consult,” said Diane Kaulen, manager of the Texas Children’s Child Life Department. “Our animal assisted therapy handlers’ work alongside the medical team to align their interventions to the individualized plan of care.”

This is especially true during the pandemic when anxiety is high and safety is of upmost concern. To ensure the safety of our patients, their families, and our staff – including our therapy dogs and their handlers – the Pawsitive Play program is resuming in a limited capacity and with added restrictions.

We need your help in enforcing these new rules. When requesting a consult for the dogs or when encountering the dogs and their handlers at one of our campuses, please keep in the mind the following:

  • Animal Assisted Therapy will return to patient care for our inpatient populations only. Ambulatory and Emergency Center visits will not resume at this time.
  • Per our normal guidelines, our dogs are not allowed to visit patients on any type of isolation.
  • Patient referrals/consults must have a documented negative COVID-19 test.
  • Patients and family members must wear a mask and wash their hands prior to and after touching the animals.
  • Stopping to pet the animals in the hallways is discouraged due to social distancing guidelines. They will continue to wear their “Please Don’t Pet Me” vests as a friendly reminder of this protective restriction.
  • If employees are in a situation where petting one of our animals is permissible, they will need to wear a mask, practice hand hygiene before and after petting the dog and practice social distancing during the encounter by allowing the dog to approach them.

“We are glad to be back helping our patients have the best experience and outcomes possible during their stay with us,” Kaulen said. “We also appreciate everyone’s help in keeping our dogs and handlers safe during this unprecedented time.”

For more information on the Pawsitive Play Program, click here.

November 26, 2019

The Woodlands Campus’ therapy dog, Cohen, recently turned two years old and the campus threw him a fabulous party. Employees, patients, and their families all gathered in the campus lobby where they were able to meet and take photos with the birthday boy.

Cohen arrived to The Woodlands Campus in July of this year as Texas Children’s Hospital’s first community campus therapy dog. He is a golden retriever, doodle mix, and is the fourth therapy dog in Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program, which uses animal-assisted therapy to enhance the emotional well-being of pediatric patients by reducing their anxiety, perception of pain and fear of hospitalization.

His birthday festivities included a happy birthday song, games, popcorn, a cake and a host of balloons and other decorations that really set the scene.

Many leaders and executives came to wish Cohen a happy birthday, along with our President and CEO Mark Wallace.

July 1, 2019

 

Texas Children’s Hospital’s first community campus therapy dog has officially started at The Woodlands campus. A week after Child Life’s gender reveal, Cohen began to make his mark on the hospital and in the hearts of employees and patients.

The 19-month-old golden retriever, doodle mix, is the fourth therapy dog in Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program, which uses animal-assisted therapy to enhance the emotional well-being of pediatric patients by reducing their anxiety, perception of pain and fear of hospitalization.

Like the other therapy dogs Cohen was specifically trained for this position at Canine Assistants, a non-profit in Atlanta, which has matched more than 1,500 service dogs with individuals and hospitals. He will be groomed weekly and his paws will be wiped down daily. Patients who are allergic to dogs will not be consulted and the dog will not go into patient rooms without first receiving verbal permission from a guardian and the medical team.

Cohen offers distraction and motivation to patients undergoing certain medical procedures, but it’s not just him that aids in this process. Child Life Specialist Carolyn Canlas, who goes by CJ, has the amazing opportunity to be Cohen’s handler. Both she and Cohen have been trained to collaborate with medical teams and physical and occupational therapists to visit with several patients each day who are having a particularly difficult time during their hospitalization.

“Words cannot express how much gratitude I feel in taking on this new role,” Canlas said. “This is such an awesome opportunity to utilize my child life skillset in such a unique way. I can’t wait to see the joy that Cohen brings to patients, families and staff.”

On June 26 Cohen met his other furry co-workers, Elsa, Bailey, and Pinto who support the Medical Center Campus, before heading off on his first day of work. Cohen was generously funded through a gift from Newfield Foundation. This new addition to the Woodlands family is just one of the many ways that the campus continues to expand and support the community.

“We are absolutely thrilled to have CJ and Cohen on our Woodlands Child Life Team,” Manager of Patient and Family Services Cynda Parrish said. “CJ and Cohen will be able to create special opportunities with our patients, families and staff through targeted therapeutic interventions to support coping and provide positive hospital experiences. We are excited to integrate this amazing resource into our child life team’s clinical practice.”

April 17, 2018

The hospital’s canine crew now has a male pup joining the team. He has officially been added to the roster as a part of Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program that uses animal-assisted therapy to enhance the emotional well-being of pediatric patients by reducing their anxiety, perception of pain and fear of hospitalization.

Pinto is a two-and-a-half-year-old golden retriever who was generously funded through a gift from The Auxiliary to Texas Children’s Hospital, a volunteer led organization that has been providing compassion to patients and their families for over 60 years.

He will be working in Acute Care, including units like Inpatient Rehab, the Emergency Center, and others around the hospital.

Like Elsa and Bailey, Pinto will offer distraction and motivation to patients undergoing certain medical procedures, along with his trusted handler. Shelby Bonnet is a Texas Children’s child life specialist who collaborates with medical teams and physical and occupational therapists to visit with five to ten patients each day who are having a particularly difficult time during their hospitalization. She is looking forward to expanding her role, and transitioning into being the newest therapy dog handler.

“I have been able to see the great work that Sarah and Adair (other therapy dog handlers) have done with Bailey and Elsa,” Bonnet said. “I am really excited to incorporate Pinto into helping patients and families around the hospital.”

As a child life specialist, who worked in the Emergency Center, Bonnet is no stranger to creating a comfortable atmosphere for children in a difficult environment, and Pinto is able to connect with patients in ways that no one else can.

Recently, Pinto took a small tour around the hospital to become more acclimated with patients and his co-workers. Just like any other employee, he was greeted by his fellow co-workers with the warmest welcome, encouragement, and motivation to uphold Texas Children’s mission of creating a healthier future for children and women throughout our global community.

“I expect a lot of promoting some normalization in the hospital,” Bonnet said. “I really hope that Pinto is able to help decrease anxiety, and to be an encouragement during procedures.”

Pinto is a bit larger and a shade or two darker than Bailey and Elsa, so it will be easy to spot him around the hospital. He is still adapting to being in this environment, but feel free to greet him and show that he has all of the love and support from his Texas Children’s family.

March 13, 2018

If you have noticed two furry four-legged employees around the hospital, your eyes are not playing tricks on you. At the end of February following Child Life’s explosive gender reveal, Texas Children’s new therapy dog began walking the halls and immediately putting smiles on employees, patients and visitors faces.

Bailey is an 18-month-old golden retriever that wears a green vest with her Texas Children’s badge, and a red bow attached. She is part of Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program that uses animal-assisted therapy to enhance the emotional well-being of pediatric patients by reducing their anxiety, perception of pain and fear of hospitalization.

Bailey offers distraction and motivation to patients undergoing certain medical procedures, but it’s not just her that aids in this process. Her handler, Adair Galanski, is a Texas Children’s child life specialist who collaborates with medical teams and physical and occupational therapists to visit with five to ten patients each day who are having a particularly difficult time during their hospitalization.

“We go and see families for a lot of different things, whether it’s medical procedures, emotional support, or maybe something even more complicated than that,” said Galanski. “The minute Bailey comes through the door, even if a family was really frustrated or if a child was crying, or if they had just received devastating news, everyone gets excited. They say, ‘Oh my gosh, is that a dog? Is it here to see me? That’s amazing!’”

Recently, Bailey took a small tour around the hospital to become more acclimated with patients and her co-workers. Her first stop was to meet Texas Children’s President and CEO, Mark Wallace. He and his wife, Shannon, recently donated Bailey as a gift to Texas Children’s Pawsitive Play Program in memory of their beloved dog, Cadence.

Their generous pledge and initial $80,000 contribution to the program will enable Texas Children’s to hire more animal-assisted therapy coordinator and therapy dog teams specifically trained to provide therapeutic interventions to patients and families in Legacy Tower.

As soon as Wallace laid eyes on Bailey he knew she was a perfect fit for Texas Children’s.

“Bailey, you come from a good family and now you’ve got a great family here at Texas Children’s,” Wallace said. “We’re going to take good care of you, and you’re going to help our patients feel better and relax, and feel loved and nurtured.”

Just like any other employee, Wallace greeted her with the warmest welcome, encouragement, and motivation to succeed in helping patients and their families.

“You’re going to help take their minds off of not feeling real good, and you’re going to be there, even to help their mommy and their daddy, maybe their grandma and grandpa, maybe their brothers or sisters,” Wallace said. “You’re an important part of this one amazing team that we have at Texas Children’s.”

After breaking the ice with the boss, Bailey’s next stop was meeting up with, what employees refer to as, her big sister. According to Galanski, normally at the beginning of most of their days, she and Bailey will visit with child life specialist and animal-assisted therapy coordinator, Sarah Herbek, and Elsa, Texas Children’s first therapy dog. This quality time allows the hospital’s canine kids to spend time with each other as well as bond more with their handlers.

“She has a great relationship with Elsa and I love that I get to work with her all the time. It’s like therapy for me too,” Galanski said. “You just can’t ever really have a bad day when you’re with her.”

Following the brief playdate, Bailey headed to spend some time with Texas Children’s patients. A normal visit with Bailey usually involves the patients taking her for a walk, playing with toys, or feeding her treats whenever she is not soothing their pain or fear. Engaging in any activity with Bailey can change a patient’s entire day.

“As much as I love my job, and think I’m good at what I do, I can never have that same connection with families that Bailey brings,” Galanski said. “Bailey is that peacemaker and that bridge for us to be able to really connect with kids who might not want to connect through words, but can connect through her.”

Although Bailey has already started seeing heart and critical care patients, she was hired on to work specifically in the hospital’s newest expansion, Legacy Tower. The doors of the first phase of Legacy Tower will open to patients, families, and employees like Bailey on Tuesday, May 22.

She will be groomed weekly and her paws will be wiped down daily. Patients who are allergic to dogs will not be consulted and the dog will not go into patient rooms without first receiving verbal permission from a guardian and the medical team.

“I love what I do, and I love her, so I want to tell everyone about her. I want everyone to experience Bailey,” Galanski said. “I want everyone to have a little piece of unconditional love that she gets to bring to everybody.”

If you see Bailey around the hospital, feel free to greet her and make her feel welcome. She loves belly rubs and snuggling with the patients, but when you come in contact with her in the halls and call her name, she’ll wag her tail enthusiastically to show her appreciation and excitement to be part of the Texas Children’s family.