Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, announces Butterfly PAWS, an expanded facility and therapy dog program. The hospital plans to increase the current team of 10 dogs to 80 during the next few years.
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.
