This Newfoundland dog is helping Hamilton health-care workers
The one-year-old gentle giant begins work as a facility dog at two hospitals later this spring
Some therapists have four paws, love belly rubs and can sniff out the best stick around.
Hank, a one-year-old Newfoundland dog, is the newest and floofiest staff member at Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS).
The 48-kilogram gentle giant will officially be on the job later this spring as part of the newly launched K9 Assist program, which aims to support the well-being of health-care workers through animal-assisted therapy.
Megan Richardson, manager of volunteer resources for the healthcare network, told The Spectator the program came from discussions around how to better sustain front-line staff, who may be feeling the effects of burnout and stress on the job.
“We really wanted to enrich our support system and demonstrate our commitment to our staff members’ well-being in a thoughtful and impactful way,” said Richardson.
Richardson said those discussions saw her and her team look to other animal-assisted therapy programs, including Scout at St. Joseph’s Healthcare and Ember at Cambridge Memorial, where they saw what might be possible.
The research suggested that animal-assisted therapy could improve physiological health, with those benefits including lower blood pressure, reduced stress hormones and a boost to oxytocin levels, Richardson noted.
With those benefits in mind, the team got to work on building its own program — a process that included hand-picking Hank and getting him started on his training when he was just six months old.
Richardson said that coaching saw the pup trotting around the Hamilton General Hospital and Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre, where his presence as a facility dog has already made a difference.
A recent staff survey found 87 per cent of respondents reported having had an “excellent experience” with Hank, she added.
But that data only tells part of the story, Richardson noted.
While on the job, Hank can be found taking part in staff huddles and critical incident debriefs as well as responding to situations such as cardiac arrest and life-threatening blood loss.
Richardson said the dog hangs out in the background with a volunteer handler until he’s needed, but once Hank is out and about, his impact on staff is almost immediate.
She described a time where Hank attended a debrief that lasted more than an hour, most of which he spent sleeping on the floor. As the minutes ticked on, staff members started to make their way to the floor, sitting on the ground and petting Hank as they talked.
“People just melt into him,” said Richardson, who is both his handler and owner. “You can feel the energy in the room change, it’s pretty overwhelming.”
Richardson said they selected a Newfoundland as the breed is known for their “exceptional” temperaments and willingness to work. Admittedly, she also wanted a dog that would be big and fluffy as part of a “wow factor” for staff.
The program, which is being piloted at the General and Juravinski with the hope to expand to all hospital sites, will allow staff and team leaders to request Hank. However, there will be some high-priority calls that may dictate his schedule.
But Hank isn’t always on the job, so to speak, said Richardson, noting that he’ll also attend events and celebrations at the hospitals as well as get his dedicated walk, enrichment and nap times.
Richardson said outside of work, Hank is just an average dog who loves hanging out and going for walks with his fur and human siblings, hunting for sticks and lying on the couch.
“He’s still a puppy that romps about and isn’t aware of his weight and body,” she joked, noting that Hank celebrated his first birthday on Friday.
“He is just such a joy.”