Pet therapy: Pet Pals program brings joy, comfort to hospital patients and nursing home residents

Geri Buchheit sits in her hospital room eagerly waiting for a visitor to arrive. After a knock, the door opens and in steps Jasmine. Buchheit's face lights up as Jasmine sits down beside her.

After a few moments, Jasmine begins enthusiastically licking Buchheit's hand, letting her know how happy she is to see her.

Jasmine is one of 24 dogs that visit local hospitals and nursing homes as part of the Pet Pals program sponsored by the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri.

Run by Laura Hurst, the program lets volunteer pets and their owners give back to the community by providing unconditional love to strangers while aiding them in their recovery.

Buchheit, a patient at Saint Francis Medical Center who's recovering from a recent stroke, said the Pet Pals visits make her time in the hospital easier to deal with.

"I love animals," Buchheit said. "They just build me up and make me want to do more. It's almost like you're not in the hospital. I just think it's so neat that the hospital lets the program bring animals in here."

Saint Francis has used the program since 1996, and Fran Sauer, a speech pathologist with the hospital, said the animals offer patients special aid that human therapists can't.

"Research shows that it increases healing and changes the atmosphere for them," Sauer said. "Pets have a healing effect and improve rehabilitation in general. They make the experience seem less clinical and help patients take their mind off their problems or deficits."

Hurst, who started working with Pet Pals as a volunteer, said she's seen the added benefit the animals provide on a number of occasions.

"Animals give unconditional love, and I think people recognize that. I took my first basset hound, Sadie, to the hospital with Pet Pals, and she visited a gentleman who hadn't been responsive for a while," Hurst said. "The man's son asked me to put Sadie up on his father's bed. Sadie nuzzled the man's hand, and his eyes fluttered open in response. The nurses and everyone were amazed. They couldn't believe it because he hadn't responded that way for them the entire time he had been there."

Sally Owen, public relations manager at Southeast Hospital, said it also uses the Pet Pals program.

In addition to spending time with patients at hospitals, Pet Pals visits local nursing homes, including Jackson Manor, Heartland Care and Ramsey Creek Assisted Living.

Volunteers knock on patients' doors and ask if they would like to spend time with one of their dogs. If the patient agrees, the Pet Pal spends five to 15 minutes either playing or sitting quietly with the patient, depending on his or her needs. The dogs visit any patient who would like to participate.

Hurst said the dogs are especially beneficial to Alzheimer's patients who, although they may not recognize family members or friends, never forget how to pet an animal.

"I went to one of the nursing homes with Sadie and visited one of the ladies who had Alzheimer's there," Hurst said. "Sadie would just stand there and let the woman pet her, and seeing them interact that way, it was almost as if they were communicating. You could tell she was remembering her own pet. Even though she was ill, she could still share love, and Sadie responded."

The opportunity to work with Pet Pals is open to anyone with an animal who wants to volunteer, and Hurst said the program is always looking for good dogs. Potential Pet Pals are screened and tested for obedience and proper temperament. They must respond to basic commands and tolerate environmental stimuli such as loud noises.

Although some of the dogs were purchased from breeders, the majority of Pet Pals' animals were adopted from local shelters.

"We're sponsored by the Humane Society, and I think we're goodwill ambassadors for the shelter," Hurst said. "It's the throwaway animals that are, a lot of times, so great. The dogs that come from breeders are great, too, and we have some of those in the program, but it's the throwaways that are so special. They're always so happy just to have a home, and they have great personalities."

For more information on Pet Pals or pet adoption call the Humane Society of Southeast Missouri at 334-5837 or visit www.semopets.org.

ssemmler@semissourian.com

388-3648

Pertinent address:

2536 Boutin Drive, Cape Girardeau, MO