By Mary Jo Blackwood, American Red Cross Public Affairs Volunteer
COVID has put a temporary halt to some really great in-person programs, but creativity will always win out. That has never more true than with the American Red Cross therapy dog program at Evans Army Community Hospital in Colorado Springs. When COVID hit, they couldn’t go in person, so they went flat! A life-size therapy dog now graces Evans, bringing smiles and whimsy to the hospital.
To ensure the approach would be well-received, Deanna Tuley, program coordinator, started with a cutout of her popular dog Penny. In only one day, the response was enthusiastic. Col Boyd, Chief of the Department of Nursing, agreed to find someone in the command section to be responsible for moving Penny to different parts of the hospital.
Kimi Williams, in the Security Office, has been doing the honors to get it started. She has been amazed at the effect: “Being in charge of the Penny cutout has given me the opportunity to interface more with other departments in the hospital and for them to develop a closer relationship with Security. Seeing Penny appear has brought so many smiles to people’s faces, staff, patients and visitors. It really highlighted how important the dogs are to starting meaningful conversations.”
In pediatrics, she placed Penny in the immunization area and it seemed to put kids more at ease having her there to distract them. One department outfitted Penny with a scrub cap and surgical mask. Radiology attached a little container of dog treats. Everyone is enjoying getting into the spirit of the project. Kimi has been taking pictures for each of the placements, sometimes with staff and patients. They even have a Facebook page to keep track of “Where’s Penny?”
Deanna Tuley hopes this project will keep everyone’s spirits up until the therapy dogs can again visit the hospital in person. The pilot has been so successful. They are looking at ways of getting cutouts financed for the other active therapy dogs. In addition to flat Penny, weather permitting, the dogs periodically visit outside the hospital entrance so people can enjoy them from afar.
“Until we can again be inside the hospital, Clara Huff in the hospital’s Red Cross office and I decided to do a test run of bringing some cheer to the staff and patients with a full-size standup cutout of Penny, my girl who is a familiar therapy dog there. The program was such an instant hit, and we are hoping to expand to other Service to the Armed Forces venues.”
About the Therapy Dogs
The Red Cross Animal Visitation Teams were first established at Evans in 2009. All handler-dog teams recruited had to be registered/certified by one of the nationally recognized therapy animal organizations such as Pet Partners, Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Bright and Beautiful, and Alliance of Therapy Dogs.
They have rigorous training and re-certification requirements with the Red Cross and their certifying organizations, all at their own expense and on their own time.
The teams also enthusiastically volunteer personal time to participate in training sessions to help one another prepare for re-certification and attend local therapy dog training classes to share their experiences and role-play for mock visits.
The teams’ primary role was to provide animal visitation and loves and hugs to patients, staff, volunteers, and other hospital visitors. In 2019, nine active handlers with eight dogs plus three supporters put in 207 visits, over 900 hours of work, and over 8,000 contacts with active duty and retired military and their families, hospital staff and visitors, and other people throughout the region.
Over the years, the teams have expanded their roles, bringing dog therapy to other activities involving the military such as unit picnics, Colorfest, Thanksgiving dinners and other events for the Warrior Transition Battalion and Transition Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) activities. They have also supported veterans, retirees, local colleges and even responded to the evacuation shelter at Cheyenne Mountain High School to provide comfort and joy to Waldo Canyon Fire evacuees in June 2012. They can also be found participating in formal Red Cross dinners and the EACH fall formal and dinner.
Great job SAF team!!!
I love this story when you can’t do your activity you have improvised to continue your service. I know all appreciate especially a loving dog. Thank you for all your time and efforts to make life have more fun.