Canine Clinicians
August 1, 2019
The soothing touch of petting a dog, the delight of seeing its tail wag and that special connection of making eye contact are what patients at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (VICC) experience when Pet Team Volunteers make their calls. Pet teams at VICC are registered and evaluated through a national organization, such as Pet Partners or Intermountain Therapy Animals.
“The benefits of a formal pet volunteer program are extensive. It defines personalized care. Animal visits bring joy to patients during some of their most difficult days, enhancing social and emotional well-being and relieving stress. And the staff enjoy the pets as much as the patients do.” – Julie Bulger, manager of Patient- and Family-Centered Care
200
Average number of patients visited in a day
43
The number of volunteer dogs at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (18 at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center)
100
The number of hours it takes to train a volunteer dog
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- Glenda Atkins (seated) gives Cooper a rub as his handler, Andy Garmezy, assists
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- Cooper, a golden retriever, offers his paw for a handshake greeting
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- Nurse Melissa Van Ham gives Cooper head rubs and pats
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- Lucca checks for doggy treats in an open drawer
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- Brian Roberge and Lucca pose for a picture
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- Spanky excitedly leads Victoria Harris down the hall as they arrive for a pet volunteer session