Covenant uses comfort care dogs to cheer up kids in pediatrics unit
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Michigan (WNEM) — Being stuck in the hospital is never fun, that’s especially true for children.
But Covenant Healthcare is trying to make things a little better for kids in their pediatrics unit.
“All I have to say is Mojo, let’s go to work, puts his own leash on, and off we go,” said Janet Nash.
Mojo, a very large Bernese mountain dog, is getting ready to work with very small children.
Mojo is a comfort care animal. He visits Covenant Healthcare locations to provide his own special kind of treatment.
Usually, it’s in the form of kisses and cuddles, which is great for his latest clients, children.
Covenant now uses comfort care dogs, like Mojo, in its pediatrics unit.
“A lot of times we’ll come into a room and the child will be lethargic, sleepy, or withdrawn,” Nash said. “Then all of a sudden, they’re like, ‘oh my God, this is the best day ever.’”
TV5 went along as Mojo and his co-worker, Reese the cocker Spaniel, made the rounds of the peds floor and saw first hand the smile medicine these animals brought.
“We’ve been here the last three days, so it’s great to see him smile,” said George Servantez, father of Oligario Servantez.
Three-year-old Oligario is energetic as he prepares to leave the hospital and Reese and Mojo just made his day a little brighter.
“It’s perfect, it’s wonderful for the children to have something to look forward to every now and then,” Servantez said. “It’s beautiful.”
For some of these kids, having an animal just sit on their lap can bring great comfort.
Covenant uses six dogs in its volunteer program at all of its main campuses for all kinds of patients.
“They’re here because they are either sick or in pain, so I feel having a little break in their daily situation and seeing something that makes them smile and give parents some hope to see their child smile for a little bit,” said Janice Bober, Reese’s handler.
You can bet the days these hard workers come in is the best day for hospital staff as well.
“They get so excited, it’s a little break in their day, it can be a very stressful environment to work in the hospital, so they get just as much joy as our patients,” said Karen Luplow, the volunteer coordinator.
Sure these animals won’t be able to cure the kids, but they bring hope, joy, and laughs.
Three things that help with healing, plus they teach the kids an important lesson.
“That hospitals aren’t so bad after all,” Bober said.
Covenant has had comfort canines visit other departments in the hospital for some time.
They met with patients with cancer or just in the waiting rooms.
But it was only recently Covenant was able to clear the way to allow the dogs to visit the kids.
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