[News] Paws For Healing Provide Therapy For Patients

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FAIRFIELD - Meir Horvitz knew dogs made hospital patients feel better, but he became a true believer in their healing power after a woman in intensive care asked to stroke Horvitz's toy poodle, Amos.

Horvitz carefully made a spot on the bed for Amos who immediately and gently leaned up against the woman to be petted.

"Her blood pressure dropped

10 points as she petted the dog," Horvitz said.

He is one of a cadre of dedicated dog lovers who make up the Napa-based group Paws for Healing who visits local hospitals to let their dogs practice a canine form of therapy which makes hospital stays easier for patients.

At David Grant Medical Center, they are part of a squad-strength group of therapy dogs that includes two Labrador Retrievers, two Shelties, three Yorkshire Terriers, a Rhodesian and a Rotweiler.

Jan Greenwald and her Yorkshire terrier Lollypup have been visiting David Grant for the past year. She has been with Paws for Healing for a year after getting trained with Lollypup.

"It was something I needed to do," Greenwald said of why she makes the trips with Lollypup who even has a small airman's uniform which always prompts a smile from patients and staff alike.

"That's just too cute," Capt. Teri Delfino said of Lollypup's attire when the small dog arrived at her ward along with Amos.

One of the patients was 11-year-old Stephen Schrink, whose hospital stay kept him away from the family's chocolate Labrador retriever.

"They are cool," Schrink said, chucking Lollypup under the chin.

Horvitz and his wife Marilyn initially started visiting David Grant several years ago but the program was terminated after the hospital's command changed hands.

That changed 18 months ago when a major from David Grant met Horvitz while he was volunteering at the Solano County Animal Shelter and suggested that the visits be revived.

"We start with the guys who are coming back from Iraq because they have special meaning to me and then we go to the clinics and the wards," Horvitz said of the visits.

The Horvitzes have been involved with Paws for Healing since 1999, when Meir spotted a story about a training session for volunteers in Vallejo.

"I have always loved dogs and loved helping people," Horvitz said of why he signed up.

The session evaluates the temperament of the dogs before sending them out to the three dozen health-care facilities that it serves in three counties.

That includes checking to see how the dog reacts to a bed patient, to people on crutches or using canes; how they respond to sudden noises or food on the floor.

"They (the dogs) are either going to do it or are not going to do it," Meir Horvitz said. "It's the humans we train."

The therapy dog and his handler are then monitored on their first couple of visits and a schedule is arranged.

For Horvitz and Annie, the family's Brittany Spaniel, their first therapy visit was to NorthBay Medical Center where Amos "was a natural," Horvitz said.

Meir and Marilyn now visit several hospitals with either Amos, the now semi-retired

14-year-old Annie, or a 3-year-old Chihuahua named Poco.

When Horvitz brings out the uniform he wears, Amos gets excited about the upcoming visiting. That could include the anticipation of the dog treats that generous hospital staff members give him.

The goal is to lift the spirits of the sick and help them along the road to recovery, but Horvitz admits "when I do this, I probably get more out of it than the patients."

The Horvitzes are now deeply involved with Paws for Healing with Meir the vice president of the Napa-based group, which advocates for the use of dogs as an aid in healing.

Most recently, Horvitz' and Amos' work was recognized with The President's Volunteer Service Award given to deserving community members by the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation.

The dogs help more than just the patients.

Horvitz remembers a phone call asking him to bring in Amos to visit with a nurse in NorthBay's Intensive Care Unit, who just had a close relative pass away.

"All she did was hold onto Amos," Horvitz said.

Another time, Horvitz spotted a young man in one of the visitors' areas and asked if he would like to pet Amos.

"He was just petting Amos and he started to cry," Horvitz said. " 'Thank you. You don't know what your dog has done for me,' he said. His mother had just passed away."

The dogs have become such a part of the David Grant family that when a recent change of command ceremony was held, Lollypup, Amos and the other dogs were invited too.

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