Dogs on Call

Does your child need to get a break from the medical routine and spend some time just being a kid? You might find a visit from the Dogs on Call team will help put them at ease. And we know that our young patients often miss their pets when they are in the hospital or in clinical settings.

Dogs on Call teams visit our pediatric inpatient units regularly and by appointment in our outpatient clinics. The dog may visit in a resource room on the floor or in the patient's room, where it can sit on the floor, in a chair or on a clean sheet on the bed. Visits typically last from 5 to 10 minutes, although that can vary. Children may pet, play with or watch the dog, who is specially trained to work with pediatric patients.

Our teams only visit children who are not in isolation. If you prefer not to have a dog team visit your child, let a child life specialist know or tell the Dogs on Call volunteer when they knock on the door.