Paws of Comfort: Therapy dogs bring comfort to Brunswick Medical Center

BOLIVIA, NC (WWAY) — Each week, certified therapy dogs visit Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center, wagging their tails and providing emotional support to the patients and staff.  

Meet Ginger, a 5-and-a-half-year-old golden doodle, who is one of 12 therapy dogs at Novant Health Brunswick Medical Center whose mission is to provide comfort and emotional support. 

Her handler, Vicki Crawford says Ginger is her first dog, and she’s happy to share her with others. 

“Other people who had dogs commented because we didn’t have anything to judge her by and when other people said she’s really good a dog and I thought ‘she really is so we need to share her’ so because she was so good I wanted to share her,” Crawford said. 

Volunteer coordinator Penny Dorton says the dogs don’t just make the patients smile. 

“You can see the smiles and so-forth that that brings to our team as our pet therapies roam the hall. So our pet therapy even though a lot of times people think it is just for our patients it’s really as much for our teammates and visitors and guests that are coming in and out of the hospital as well,” Dorton said. 

Crawford and Ginger volunteers for two hours every week.  

“You get back more than you give,” Crawford stated. 

During the two-hour visit, Ginger greets people in the lobby and spends time with the patients who have signed up for visitation services.  

Crawford says Ginger helps brings the patient’s comfort. 

“It fills a gap, especially the patients who have pets at home that they’re missing and can’t see. It lets them release love that they can’t pet their own dog. They’ll pull out their phone and show us pictures of their pet. It just gets their mind off of being in the hospital for a few minutes,” Crawford informed us. 

Crawford says she’s happy they got involved in pet therapy and recommends those thinking about it, to give it a try. 

“I wasn’t sold out on pet therapy when I started it, I am completely sold out now because I didn’t realize how important it is. When you open the door and someone is like oh come in come in, that makes your day and you realize how important it is,” Crawford shared.  

Brunswick Medical Center is still accepting applications for volunteers and the dogs go through behavioral training and become certified.