At USA Children’s & Women’s Hospital in Mobile, some of the most effective comfort for young patients doesn’t come from medicine at all — it comes on four legs, with a wagging tail.
The hospital runs a pet therapy program that brings specially trained dogs and their handlers onto the pediatric floors, giving children a familiar, calming presence during what can be a frightening and disorienting stay away from home. Staff say the visits help ease anxiety in ways that traditional care simply cannot replicate.
“We want to normalize the hospital environment as much as possible,” said Brenda Maddox, a certified child life specialist at the hospital. Children who are used to playing with pets at home lose that outlet the moment they’re admitted, she said, and reintroducing it — even briefly — can make a real difference in a child’s mood and stress level.
Right now, the hospital has eight certified pet therapy teams that rotate through visits twice a week, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. But hospital leaders say that’s not enough to meet demand, and they’re actively recruiting more volunteer teams to expand the schedule.
Belinda Baggett, director of volunteer services at the hospital, said becoming a certified pet therapy team is a serious commitment that typically takes several months of preparation. Dog-and-owner pairs must complete training and certification through a recognized program before they can begin hospital visits, and not every dog is suited for the work — therapy animals need calm temperaments and the ability to handle the sights, sounds and unpredictability of a busy hospital floor.
Anyone interested in pursuing certification is encouraged to start by researching the requirements through a national pet therapy organization before reaching out to the hospital’s volunteer office for more information.
Pet therapy teams aren’t the only volunteers the hospital is looking for. Baggett said there’s ongoing need for people willing to help in the hospital’s gift shop and surgery waiting areas, including college students and adults who can commit as little as a couple of hours a week. Volunteers receive perks like discounts and invitations to hospital events in exchange for their time, but Baggett said the real reward is the impact on patients and families going through difficult moments.
For families navigating a hospital stay, small comforts like a dog hopping up onto the bed can be a bright spot in an otherwise stressful day — and hospital officials hope more Mobile-area residents will step up to make those moments possible for more children.