Hospital's therapy dogs, owners, celebrate success

Ripley, a black Newfoundland and golden retriever mix, makes an imposing presence when he walks into a room. But at Northwest Community Hospital in Arlington Heights, he is welcomed with open arms.

Working the units with his handler, Wendy Czaplewski of Arlington Heights, Ripley is one of the most experienced - and popular - members of the hospital's animal assisted therapy program.

One of Czaplewski's favorite stories is the time they visited an autistic girl in the pediatrics department, who had been unresponsive to hospital personnel.

When Ripley came calling, however, she inched her way toward the dog, and then reached out to pet him.

"It was the first time she responded," Czaplewski said.

Ripley also was one of the first dogs to begin visiting with patients this year in the pediatric emergency department.

"Children seem to forget why they're there when they see him," Czaplewski adds. "He distracts even their parents."

Just last month, the program celebrated its second year anniversary, and now sends its furry ambassadors to virtually every unit in the hospital.

On Saturday, nearly 40 of the 50 dogs and their handlers gathered in Palatine for a party.

As a gift to their coordinator, Diane Colville, the handlers all documented their favorite patient stories, with pictures of their dogs, in a self-published book, "Animal Assisted Therapy: True Stories."

On Saturday, the dogs came in all shapes and sizes, from the tiny Maltese, Dachshund, and the medium-sized mixed breeds, to the collie, Portuguese water dog, golden and Labrador retrievers.

Yet, they all shared two things in common: excellent behavior and friendly dispositions.

In fact, during a group photo, not one barked or nipped at their neighbor, and when asked to walk down the street, they complied perfectly.

Granted, these are not your average dogs. But then again, they are chosen for just that reason.

Dogs accepted into the program must pass the hospital's temperament and obedience evaluation, before advancing to the rigorous three-day training course. Handlers say meeting the high standards is worth it.

"When we come into a unit, the entire staff just lights up, and instantly we know we're making an impact," says Lynn Gorski of Palatine, who works with her 3-year old Cockapoo named Jimmy.

Gorski tells of visiting the room of an older patient who had been depressed and unresponsive. When she saw Jimmy, she reached out for him and wanted him put on the bed next to her, where she could pet him.

Colville says stories like that unfold every day at the hospital, as three to four dogs and their handlers work their assigned units.

"For those who love animals, we've found they've made a great difference," Colville says.

The program started with 14 dogs just two years ago, when Colville patterned the program after a successful one at Edward Hospital in Naperville. It expanded within three months, and now includes every unit, excluding the Mother/Baby Unit.

Dogs are now visiting the Youth Center for teens dealing with substance abuse, the Adult and Mental Health Center, and the Physical, Medical and Rehabilitation Unit to work alongside patients during physical, occupational and speech therapies.

In fact, Colville says the dogs make an average of 800 visits per month, or more than 15,000 over the last two years.