By Catherine Brown

Spending time in the hospital can take an emotional toll on any patient and their family. 

But at VCU Health, there are special members of the care team that make the experience a little better: volunteer therapy dogs and their handlers from Dogs on Call. 

The Center for Human-Animal Interaction (CHAI), based out of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, oversees the hospital-based therapy dog program. For 25 years, CHAI has been studying how therapy dogs and companion animals can change people’s health and wellness.

Dogs on Call volunteer Margaret Popik and therapy dog Elsa. (Contributed photo)Margaret Popik witnessed the impact of these interactions first hand and it inspired her to join Dogs on Call with her goldendoodle Elsa. Over the past decade, the duo have been visiting patients, families and team members at VCU Medical Center and Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. They also connect with students on the VCU Health Sciences and Monroe Park campuses.
 
Popik spoke with us about her motivation for getting involved and the rewards of being part of a hospital-based therapy dog program.

What is the therapy dog training process like? 

Elsa and I spent a year in training classes working on general obedience, impulse control and how to be comfortable in a loud environment. I wanted to make sure she was comfortable and that we were compatible and good for this type of work. We passed our test and started the onboarding process.

Elsa’s getting older and is inching toward retirement. I’m not ready to retire, but I honor that my dog is 12 and that she doesn’t have the energy she used to have.

Do you think you’ll volunteer again with a different dog? 

I’d love to, but not every dog is cut out for it, and that’s OK. When we get a new dog, I want to make sure that they’re comfortable and happy doing the work. It’s not something you can force on a dog. They have to really love it, too.

Does your therapy dog like volunteering? 

Elsa loves it! She’s ordinarily a quiet, calm dog, but when I get her special Dogs on Call vest out of the closet, she knows we’re going and she gets very excited. She gets excited again when we drive through the parking garage. She knows exactly where we are.

A handful of people working in the hospital have treats in their offices. We get off an elevator, and she knows what floor we’re on and exactly where to go for those treats.

When we get home, I take off her vest and let her be a dog. She might run around in the backyard, roll around and then nap on a pillow for the rest of the day. It’s a pretty good life for her.

What is one of your most memorable experiences volunteering with a therapy dog at VCU Health?

We’ve spent a lot of time working in pediatrics. If a kid is in the hospital, they’re usually pretty sick and they can be scared. It can be hard for them in a way that’s different from grown-ups. Their parents and their families are usually with them, and they’re very stressed and worried. There are a lot of big feelings in the room.

When we walk in, a certain magic happens. I can feel it. I can feel everybody relax. Sometimes not a lot of words are said. I’ve learned that my job is not to make small talk; it’s to let Elsa’s presence be the thing. Sometimes the patients pet her and cry, sometimes they hug her, sometimes the parents cry and sometimes staff members come in to watch the interaction. 

One meaningful moment was when we were walking in the hallway and were asked if we could help a child who was resistant to getting a throat swab. She was about to be restrained. 

We walked in, and the child asked if Elsa could lie on her bed. The caregivers told the child she would need to stay still so she wouldn’t hurt Elsa. Elsa got up and lay down next to her. The child placed her hand on Elsa’s back, held perfectly still and opened her mouth. They got the swab and could move on. The parents and the care team were so grateful. It was a good feeling. 

How does volunteering with a therapy dog impact you? 

I can experience the whole gamut of emotions in a session. It’s hard to see people who are suffering, but it’s also joyful to bring them joy. 

It’s an honor, really, to be invited into these spaces. It feels sacred sometimes that someone’s willing to let you in when they’re feeling poorly. I don’t take that lightly.

When I first started, I thought I’d have to be all Suzie Sunshine going into a room, but that’s not what feels real. It feels real to let Elsa walk in, rest her chin on their bed and let them do with that what they will.

Patient Levi Webb (right) was overjoyed to meet therapy dog Elsa and her handler, Margaret, while staying at Children’s Hospital of Richmond at VCU. These Dogs on Call volunteers find their visits with pediatric patients and their families very special. (Karl Dorn, Center for Human-Animal Interaction at VCU)

Learn how you can support the work of Dogs on Call and the Center for Human-Animal Interaction at VCU.

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