Amos, right, has joined Professor Bunsen Honeydew, left, as part of Kravis Children’s Hospital’s innovative facility dog program.
Thanks to a grant from the Mount Sinai Auxiliary Board, Kravis Children’s Hospital at Mount Sinai recently expanded Paws & Play, its innovative facility dog program, by acquiring Amos, a 2-year-old golden doodle. A full-time employee of Kravis Children’s Hospital, Amos provides comfort to pediatric inpatients under the direction of his handler, Tori Zucker, MEd, Certified Child Life Specialist.
Amos is the nephew of Kravis Children’s Hospital’s first facility dog, Professor Bunsen Honeydew, who joined Paws & Play last year when the program was launched. Paws & Play, supported by PetSmart Charities®, is the first facility dog program of its kind in New York State.
Facility dogs can see high-risk patients multiple times a week and become part of the care model. “Seeing the dog creates a dynamic of trust, care, and love,” says Diane C. Rode, MPS, Child Life Program Director. “This humanizes the health care environment.”
The fact that Amos underwent weeks of physical therapy to his leg after surgery when he was a puppy helps create an even deeper bond with young patients, according to Ms. Zucker.
In addition to comforting children who are undergoing medical procedures, Amos is a popular attendee at Kravis’ parent coffee hour, a support group for patients’ parents. He also provides support to children whose parents are facing severe illnesses or end-of-life situations.