Hospital Program Goes to the Dogs

Charlie strolls through the halls of Palos Community Hospital like she owns the place, stopping to greet admirers and entering rooms without hesitation. With her I.D. badge around her neck, Charlie looks like she belongs.

To understand why patients light up when Charlie enters the room, you have to understand two things. The first is that she is trained to make people smile. The second is that she is a golden retriever. 

Charlie is one of the over 30 dogs who participate in the hospital's Wags animal therapy program. Accompanied by her owner, Palos Park resident and retired Stagg math teacher Craig Hodges, Charlie visits the hospital about four times a month.

The program was founded by hospital employees Sister Anna Doyle and Jill Beechler with the hope that pet visits would brighten the spirits of patients and remind them of home.

Dogs undergo behavioral testing and three days of training before they are accepted into the program. Only about half of the dogs who try out for the program qualify to participate.  To learn more about volunteering with Wags, click here.

This article was corrected on 8/21 to reflect the fact that Charlie is a female dog, not a male.