SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Some of the newest members of the care team at Springfield Memorial Hospital have four legs, wagging tails and even their own employee badges.

Springfield Memorial Hospital has expanded its animal-assisted therapy program, known as "DOGtors on Call," adding four newly certified therapy dogs to help provide comfort and companionship to patients, families and hospital staff.

The expansion was made possible through a $4,500 grant from the Springfield Memorial Foundation. The program pairs hospital employees who volunteer as handlers with their certified therapy dogs for patient visits.

Christine Waldhauser, a Springfield Memorial Hospital nursing director, said the idea to expand pet therapy at the hospital began about a year and a half ago when the hospital's chief nursing officer approached staff about developing a program.

"We started down the path, met with our foundation, talked to them about funding the program," Waldhauser said. "They were super excited about it also."

The "DOGtors" had to do more than learn how to sit and stay before reporting for duty. Waldhauser said the dogs underwent a 14-week training program, followed by observation and testing before they could become certified therapy dogs.

The hospital now has five certified therapy dogs in the program.

The four newest "DOGtors" are Bandit, an eight-year-old Corgi; Huck, a three-year-old golden retriever; Lucy, a two-year-old goldendoodle; and Stirling, a nine-year-old Australian shepherd. They join Kylo, a six-year-old German shepherd whose weekly visits with patients helped inspire hospital leaders to expand the program.

Waldhauser is Lucy's handler and said she immediately knew she wanted to become involved.

"I'm a dog lover, always have loved my dogs and honestly, just what they can bring to a patient from a nurse, that is so rewarding for me," Waldhauser said. "So when I was asked about this program, I immediately knew that I wanted to do it."

For Waldhauser, the impact became clear once the dogs began interacting with patients.

"I've been a nurse for a little over 30 years and this is probably one of my most favorite things I've done," she said. "When you walk in the room of a patient who has left a pet at home and you walk in with your dog, and you just see the enormous smile and the stress come off the patient, it's absolutely worth it."

The program is not only helping patients. Waldhauser said the "DOGtors" can also provide a welcome break for nurses and other hospital employees working in a stressful environment.

"Not just our patients, our nurses, our staff, it's a de-stress for them," Waldhauser said. "They get so excited to see you and your dog and to be able to pet them. It's very rewarding."

The Springfield Memorial Foundation helped pay for the program's certification expenses. The grant covered Alliance of Therapy Dogs membership fees, background checks and uniforms for handlers. All participating dogs and handlers completed training and earned certification through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs before visiting patients.

Foundation Director Pam Hulten said the organization received the funding request about a year ago as part of its efforts to support programs that go beyond traditional medical treatment and improve the experience of patients and their families.

"We often say, sometimes it's not just medicine and prescriptions that help our patients heal," she said. "These dogs are providing levels of comfort and care that, coupled with good medicine, help them heal faster."

Hospital officials said there is room for the "DOGtors on Call" program to continue growing. Hulten said the foundation still has funding available to help certify additional therapy dogs and that there is already interest in expanding the program.

For Waldhauser, the program is another way Springfield Memorial Hospital can focus on the patient.

"It is really about patient-centered care," Waldhauser said. "And it's just another thing that we can provide to our patients."

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