In our hospitals, therapy dogs like Arlo play a vital role in creating a caring and connected hospital environment.
They visit many areas, including the Emergency Department, ICU, the children’s hospital, as well as the Mental Health and Older Aged Care and Rehabilitaion Units, offering comfort and support to patients, families, visitors and staff.
Why it matters
Research shows that pet therapy, especially with dogs, has many therapeutic benefits for people in hospital. The presence of a therapy dog can help calm nerves, reduce stress and ease anxiety, making patients feel more relaxed and supported during their hospital stay.
These gentle animals can even speed up recovery by helping manage pain and lifting spirits.
Meet Arlo
Arlo, one of our much loved therapy dogs visits Wellington and Kenepuru Hospitals weekly with his ‘Dad’ John.
One day they were visiting patients in the ICU, a highly medicalised and stressful environment, where Arlo was brought to a patient who was in a coma. Knowing she was a dog lover, her family gently placed her hand on Arlo’s head.
Later, the patient shared that although she was unconscious, she could feel Arlo’s gentle and calming presence, which brought her “back to the earthly world.” When she woke, seeing Arlo again also gave her the strength to begin her recovery, and told staff, “I don’t know how I would have made it without him.”
Stories like this remind us of the powerful bond between humans and animals. John finds these moments of connection deeply humbling and rewarding:
We never know the full impact of our visits, but hearing stories like this reminds us why we do it.
Get Involved
If you have a dog with a calm and friendly temperament and would like to bring comfort to patients in our hospitals, we invite you to get in touch. stories like this reminds us why we do it,” he says.