There are now 20 exclusively Delta-registered Dogs On Call teams visiting at either Meriter Hospital or the Meriter Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Facility.
Most teams spend time at Meriter Hospital, enjoying the flexibility to visit when their personal schedule allows. At the hospital, teams may choose to visit between many different units, whatever suits their style and preference. Patients at the Meriter Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Facility enjoy visits from a DOC team once a week.
Patients aren’t the only ones who benefit from DOC Pet Partners’ visits. Family and friends are pleasantly surprised to see a dog in the hospital; the staff is always all smiles when someone says, “The therapy dog is here!” And “rewarding” hardly describes the feeling DOC handlers have after a visit. Everyone comes home with a great story about how his or her Pet Partner brightened someone’s day.
Meriter Hospital has always been very supportive of Dogs On Call and the Pet Partners program. They provide meeting room space for DOC to hold training classes and Dogs On Call has its own page on the Meriter website. Volunteers receive free parking in the hospital ramp, a Meriter volunteer logo polo shirt, numerous other volunteer perks, and, especially for the canine component of the team, a Meriter photo ID badge!
To read more about our Meriter Hospital program and see all the teams who currently visit, look under the Patient & Visitor tab on the Meriter website www.meriter.com.