Therapy Animal Program

Patient Animal Wellness Service

The Medical University of South Carolina has a robust Therapy Animal Program. The program utilizes animal assisted intervention (AAI) with dogs to assist in patient care. With more than 100 certified therapy dogs, our program services MUSC University Medical Center, more than 12 ambulatory clinics throughout the Lowcountry, and MUSC Regional Health Network.
Our program provides care to patients in cardiac, neurology, addiction, geriatrics, physical/occupational therapy, dentistry, and pediatrics to name a few.

Dogs and volunteer teams go through a rigorous training program and dogs must be up to date on their vaccines and health check-ups. Each location where dog and volunteer teams visit are assessed for patient, volunteer, and dog safety. Given this program is run by volunteers and supported through donations, any therapy dog visit will not show up on a patients' hospital bill.
In 2024, the MUSC PAWS Team provided 11,475 hours to patients.

How Therapy Animals Help

Therapy animals have been an integral part of MUSC for nearly two decades. Typically, this involved around three dozen therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers visiting the main hospital to provide companionship and serve as a comforting distraction for patients, family members, and occasionally, care team members.

By 2015, researchers noticed the therapeutic bond between humans and animals. Certified therapy dogs not only alleviate stress, depression, and blood pressure, but they also boost self-esteem, enhance physical mobility, provide comfort, and eliminate feelings of loneliness. When working alongside physicians, therapists, and nurses, these canine companions compliment treatment, help patients achieve health goals, maintain a positive outlook, and encourage motivation. These Canine Therapists excel at spreading joy in ways that humans cannot replicate.

For example, a young boy undergoing chemotherapy struggled with the emotional weight of his hair loss, which overshadowed his once vibrant personality. One day, a therapy dog entered the room, recovering from a hot spot on his hip, with a shaved patch for treatment. The boy noticed and inquired about it. The handler explained the shaving was the dog's best method for healing, and that his fur would eventually grow back. Almost immediately, the boy got out of bed, knelt beside the dog, and began to share, “I know how you feel, but don’t worry, we’ll both get better soon and have our hair back!”

In another example, a nurse sat on the floor, anxiously trying to remove an IV from a little boy's hand. Although he was set to be discharged, the thought of going home with his family held no appeal for him; he was simply too frightened about the needle being taken out from beneath his skin. Suddenly, a therapy dog appeared, and the sight of its wagging tail in the doorway captured his attention. The enticing offer to walk the dog around the unit—if he allowed the nurse to remove the IV—was irresistible. He straightened up, grasped the dog's leash, squeezed his eyes shut, and exclaimed, “Do it!” The vivid image of that little boy in oversized superhero pajamas confidently strutting down the hallway while holding the leash will forever remain etched in my memory.

Our dogs have experience riding gurneys into pre-op in hopes to reduce the stress and anxiety a patient feels right before they are sedated for surgery, are known to be there as a patient is waking up in post op, have made children speak for the first time due to trauma in their lives, have assisted a stroke or brain-bleed patient look forward to physical therapy, have helped parents grieve over the sudden loss or terminal illness diagnosis of a family member, have given an Aphasia patient the courage and confidence to speak aloud in front of others, and so much more.

Canine Therapy Visits

Volunteer therapy animal handlers visit patients at various times throughout the day. If you happen to see any of our canine therapists in the hospital, don’t hesitate to approach and interact with them. They’re here to support you!

If you are a patient in one of our facilities, you can request a visit via the Get Well Network on your TV. Our staff members would be delighted to help you.
For family members wishing to arrange a therapy dog visit for a patient, please consult the patient's care team member first. They can then submit a request through Epic.

Therapy dogs are not permitted in isolation rooms

Therapy Dogs

A therapy dog is a specially trained animal that offers affection, comfort, and support to individuals in need. Our therapy dogs make regular visits to patients in hospitals and numerous clinics across the Lowcountry. Specialty-trained therapy dogs collaborate with medical professionals to deliver therapeutic services. Additionally, our dogs accompany their handlers to other various volunteer environments, including schools, nursing homes, disaster relief zones, and more.  They truly enjoy being petted and take great pride in their work! 

Therapy dogs in the MUSC Health Therapy Animal Program are trained, evaluated, observed, tested, and insured through a National Therapy Animal organization. They are also observed and trained again specifically for MUSC Health to align with our policies. Therapy dog teams are required to maintain current vaccinations and renew their certifications annually. 

To meet the therapy dogs currently browsing our halls, visit Meet The Dogs.

Join our Therapy Animal Program

If you are interested in becoming part of our Therapy Animal Program, join our team!

Program Support 

Your support will help us continue to impact our patients' care through animal-assisted therapy. Together, we can bring comfort, joy, and healing to countless lives.