Butterfly Paws program will expand therapy, facility dog team at Nationwide Children's

Barbara J. Perenic, Columbus Dispatch

March 27, 2024 at 7:09 PM·2 min read

Nationwide Children's Hospital CEO Tim Robinson was speaking to a crowd of people five or six deep, but all eyes were on the dogs.

It was hard to compete with five-month-old Wilde, a dog currently in training through Canine Companions, as the pup wagged and yawned in front of a sheet-covered statue of animal friends Gus and Junebug in the new Canine Center just inside the Crossroad entrance of the hospital. Robinson acknowledged the buzz in the room one day recently:

"There is nothing more comforting than a dog offering his paw."

Tim Robinson, CEO of Nationwide Children's Hospital, on Friday, March 22, 2024, announces Butterfly Paws, an expanded facility and therapy dog program, at the new Canine Corner on the first floor of the hospital. Nationwide Children's currently has a team of 10 facility and therapy dogs. Through the Butterfly Paws program, the hospital plans to expand to a team of 10 facility dogs and 70 therapy dogs,

Robinson was announcing Butterfly Paws, an expanded therapy and facility dog program as cellphone photos were snapped of members of the current dog team that were in attendance, including three facility dogs and eight therapy dogs.

Through the expansion of the Butterfly Paws program, the hospital ultimately plans to have a team of 10 facility dogs and 70 therapy dogs, along with a larger team of community and staff volunteers with certified dogs. "These specially-trained facility and therapy dogs help bring comfort, joy and therapeutic support interventions to patients, families and staff," according to a news release from Nationwide Children's Hospital last week.

Wilde, a five-month-old puppy in training through Canine Companions, sits in front of some members of the current facility and therapy dog team Friday, March 22, 2024, in the new Canine Corner at Nationwide Children's Hospital. The hospital announced an expansion of Butterfly Paws, an expanded facility and therapy dog program that would expand the team to 10 facility dogs and 70 therapy dogs.

Read the entire statement here: Nationwide Children’s Hospital Announces Expanded Facility and Therapy Dog Program

Facility dogs are the highest level of a trained dog, being developed from birth to 2 years old before directly supporting patient care. Facility dogs are specifically trained to complete tasks and treatments that clinical staff use to help patients. These dogs may know up to 50 commands.

Therapy dogs are trained pets that have met criteria based on credentialing from Canine Good Citizen, Alliance of Therapy Dogs or Therapy Dog International to serve families, patients and staff through social and comfort interactions.

Macie Taylor, 8, of Zanesville, underwent surgery earlier this year to treat cerebral palsy. She worked with a facility dog, Beck, at Nationwide Children's Hospital's inpatient rehabilitation unit to improve her mobility.

Eight-year-old Macie Taylor, from Zanesville underwent surgery earlier this year to treat cerebral palsy. Macie worked with a Nationwide Children's facility dog, Beck, at the inpatient rehabilitation unit to improve her mobility. "Once we found out there was a dog, she couldn’t wait to start rehab,” said Michele Taylor, Macie’s mom.

More: Meet the Facility and Therapy Dogs at Nationwide Children's

“Research shows that spending just five minutes with a dog can lower cortisol and stress. Especially in a hospital setting, we know that affects everyone. We are thrilled to be impacting the culture of our hospital and supporting emotional well-being for our patients, families and staff,” said Melissa McMillen, program manager of the Butterfly Paws program at Nationwide Children’s and a certified therapeutic recreational therapist.