Soft snuggles, constant companionship — dog lovers know the positive impacts of having a dog and research shows the benefits as well.
Across Baylor Scott & White clinics and hospitals, wet noses and paw prints have left their mark on the hearts of patients and caregivers alike for more than three decades. The health system’s animal-assisted therapy program has been part of the healing process for many.
A first-of-its-kind collaboration
About 10 years ago, the system expanded its approach to help more patients. That’s when Baylor Scott & White joined forces with Canine Companions, a national not-for-profit organization and a leader in the service dog industry. Canine Companions provides service dogs to adults, children and veterans with disabilities as well as facility dogs to those who work in healthcare, criminal justice and education settings. Canine Companions provides the dogs, the specialized training they require and all follow-up services free of charge.
In November 2015, Baylor Scott & White helped open a Canine Companions complex in North Texas, the South Central Training Center, which now houses and trains 40-55 dogs at a time. It is one of six Canine Companions campuses nationwide.
The collaboration was the first time the service dog organization had teamed up with a health system and was the vision of U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade, a longtime Baylor Scott & White board member and the man for whom the campus is named. Judge Kinkeade had been a volunteer in Baylor Scott & White hospitals for years with his dog, Bo. One day, he saw a patient with a trained service dog and was amazed at all they could do beyond just comforting patients like his dog did on their volunteer visits.
“These dogs have an impressive array of skills,” says Judge Kinkeade. “They can pick up a dime up off of a floor, they can retrieve keys or a credit card, and most importantly, they can open doors — both literally and figuratively — for those humans that they are helping. They change lives for the better.”
“Since the training facility opened nearly a decade ago, we have seen the truly profound, life-changing impact a service dog can have on those with disabilities,” said Pete McCanna, CEO of Baylor Scott & White. “The incredible stories we hear from recipients and their families are a constant reminder of the training center’s impact in our community. It is still the only one of its kind in the Southwest.”
Enabling greater independence, enhancing patient care
Canine Companions raises and trains facility dogs and service dogs that assist in patient care. The dogs go on to be paired with one of the following:
- Adults with physical disabilities
- Children with physical or cognitive disabilities aged five or older
- Adults with physical or cognitive disabilities who require the assistance of a facilitator such as a parent, caregiver or spouse
- Veterans with a physical or auditory disability or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Professionals working in a health care, visitation, criminal justice or education setting
Facility dogs receive specialized training to work alongside their handlers, and Baylor Scott & White providers are strategically incorporating the dogs into patient care. For example, Orbit, the facility dog at Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation – Dallas, may give gentle tugs on a rope as a patient works to regain arm and shoulder strength. For a patient staying overnight at Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital – Denton, facility dog Evans may add to the delight of a gift basket sent from family by carrying it into the room. Lorenzo and Gigi, facility dogs at Baylor Scott & White McLane Children’s Medical Center in Temple, can encourage pediatric patients to get out of bed for tests or treatment, even when they’re having a tough day. Other Baylor Scott & White facility dogs work with child life specialists and occupational therapists, as well as in cardiac rehabilitation and integrative medicine settings.
When clinical team members recognize a patient who could use the support of a trained service dog of their own, they can refer the patient directly to Canine Companions to begin the application process.
“We’ve placed service dogs with people with more than 65 different kinds of disabilities, so there are a lot of different ways that they can help,” says Courtney Craig, public relations and marketing specialist at Canine Companions.
For patients with physical disabilities, service dogs assist with tasks like picking up dropped items, turning the lights on and off, retrieving medication and more. Some dogs are trained with additional skills to specifically support veterans with PTSD symptoms. They may wake their handler up from a nightmare, interrupt repetitive anxious behaviors, or provide a physical barrier and a bit more comfort and space to their handlers in crowded places.
A far-reaching impact
More than 300 service dogs and facility dogs have graduated from the Canine Companions at Baylor Scott & White Health – Kinkeade Campus since its opening. While nine of those dogs have become Baylor Scott & White therapy or facility dogs, and nearly a dozen more work as therapy dogs alongside volunteers, the impact is far reaching: the rest have been paired with individuals and organizations in Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Louisiana.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the program, and September is the perfect time — it is National Service Dog Month. To learn more, visit canine.org.
Join us at DogFest on September 14
DogFest is a free, family-friendly and dog-friendly event on Saturday, September 14, 4-7 p.m. at Community Beer Company in Dallas. The festival is Canine Companions’ largest fundraiser of the year and includes music, games, activities and more. The money raised supports the Canine Companions mission to enhance the lives of people with disabilities by providing expertly trained service dogs at no cost.