San Juan Regional Medical Center resumed its popular dog therapy program, which was temporarily halted during the pandemic.
Animal therapy is popular with both patients and employees at the hospital, located in Farmington, according to KOB 4. Six therapy dogs visit every third morning during the week.
"Whenever I am around dogs, I feel good," Shanice Brown, a speech-language pathologist, told KOB 4. "My stress is reduced, so they make me really happy."
Tessa Becker, the hospital's manager of volunteer services, said the dogs brighten everyone's mood.
"Where people need extra support, they'll go up and lean on people, and that is a strong indication they are sensing fear, anxiety, stress – all of those types of things," Becker told KOB 4.
All of the dogs are registered therapy dogs, including Bodhi, a four-year-old English cream golden retriever, KOB 4 reported.
"I got him at the age of eight weeks and he became a registered therapy dog at 14 months, which is really pretty young," Helen Taylor, a therapy dog handler and hospital volunteer, told KOB 4.
Bodhi loves his job, Taylor said.
"His big thing is to lean on people; he always likes to sit on your feet," she said. "If he's sitting on your feet, he thinks you can't go away."
A certain kind of dog is needed for the hospital's therapy program, according to KOB 4. "They have to be mild-mannered, love people, and put their best paw forward," the article said.
"In my heart, I know these dogs are giving their all," Taylor said. "When they go home after a visit, they are tired; they give everything."