Williamsport Sun Gazette 

August 6, 2007

A Different Kind of Medicine 

By CATHY SNYDER

      Early Tuesday afternoon at the Williamsport Hospital, Andy is making his rounds.

        Rather than checking patients’ blood pressure or IV medications, Andy is searching for a few friendly pats and hellos.

Andy, a golden retriever, is a trained therapy dog and each ‘eek visits the Gibson Rehabilitation Center at the hospital. While volunteering, Andy is under the command of fellow vol­unteer Charles B. Miller of: 

DuBoistown. The two have been visiting the hospital for about three months and Andy is one of the therapy dogs used by the Susquehanna Health System. In addition to another dog at Williamsport Hospital, three dogs regularly visit the skilled nursing at Muncy Valley Hospital. The health system has used e therapy dog program for three years to the benefit of both patients and staff according to Tracy Haas, communications specialist.

“You can imagine, if you were sick and stuck in the hospital for 5 days, this would be welcome,” Haas said.

Andy has a calm and loveable personality and immediately soaks up attention. As soon as he enters the rehabilitation floor, people call him by name and he travels from patient to patient receiving a pat on his back. The people always respond to Andy.

“One lady only talked when Andy came in;’ Miller said. “Not everyone gets visitors

and these guys (Miller and Andy) are it for some people,” Haas said.

Andy definitely is the focus of attention.

“People first start with Andy and eventually they ask who I am;’ Miller said.

The benefits to the patients re­sulting from Andy’s visits are quickly obvious, but he also slays an important role with the staff

“Yes, it really does benefit the stag” said Whitney Soars, direc­tor of volunteer services. “When it helps the patients, it helps the staff”

Haas agreed. “I think it makes the staff happy to see their patients happy,” she said.

The visits also are beneficial to Miller.

“It gets me out, gets me to so­cialize;’ be said.

In order to become a therapy dog, Andy had to undergo training. He also pulls double-duty and is a trained Eagles’ Wings Service Dog who lives with Miller full-time.

Miller and Andy have been paired for about 11 months.

“It seemed to be perfect tim­ing,” Miller said of Andy’s en­trance into his life.

His family had lost their 17-year-old dog about one month after Miller had spinal cord sur­gery. As his youngest son left for college, Miller was left alone all day while everyone else was working, and his family became concerned, he said. Miller said he had never considered having a service dog until he was approached about the idea during a therapy session at the YMCA.

Initially concerned about can­ing for a dog from a wheelchair, Miller said “many hours of train­ing and encouragement gave me the skills and confidence I need­ed to adopt Andy.”

The Eagles’ Wings Service Dog program is run through the Lycoming County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. Andy was entered into the serv­ice dog program after he was talc-en to the SPCA.

While acting as a service dog, Andy wears a vest that indicates to people he is working. The vest also has a patch that warns people not to pet him while he is at work. Andy follows Millers com­mands and when he presses a button on his wheelchair, a sound is emitted that alerts Andy when Miller plans to move.

Andy is devoted to Miller and though he “has bonded with the entire family, he is committed to taking care of me,” he said. That means he travels everywhere

Miller goes — from church, to the bus, to swimming at the YM­CA, as well as shopping, restau­rants and doctor’s appointments.

Despite his dual roles, Miller said Andy never gets confused as he goes from being a service dog to a therapy dog.

Noting the positives of using therapy dogs, the hospital is willing to have more dogs visit. Dogs must be properly trained in order to become a therapy dog. Anyone interested may con­tact the hospital.

More therapy dogs mean more people can have their day brightened by dogs like Andy.

“Wherever we go, Andy brings out the best in people,” Miller said.

Patients’ reactions show this is true and Hass sees those ben­efits.

“Medicine doesn’t always have to come in the form of a pill or IV,” she said.

CATHY SNYDER/Sun-Gazette