How our own in-residence facility dog, Bob, became paw-sible
Of the thousands of dedicated staff members at Tufts Medical Center, there is a fan favorite that has long, blond hair, a wide, toothy grin, and also four legs. Bob, a Goldendoodle, is the hospital’s first in-residence full-time facility dog. He arrived on campus in August of 2020, and has continued to make a lasting imprint – or paw print – ever since.
Through the generosity of the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation, Tufts Medical Center was awarded a multi-year “Dogs for Joy” grant of more than $100,000, which has helped the hospital fund Bob’s initial training and travel from Canine Assistants in Georgia, a non-profit organization dedicated to training service dogs. The grant also provided vital seed funding for Bob’s annual expenses, including food, supplies, grooming, and insurance.
Animal-assisted therapy, specifically when partnered with a specialist, can significantly reduce pain, anxiety, depression, and fatigue in patients dealing with a range of health problems. Tufts Medical Center has long incorporated the companionship of animals into our programming, which includes the service of volunteer animals. Bob is specially trained, with more than 2,000 hours of education, to provide comfort and ease anxiety in a hospital setting. Bob is always working in partnership with a certified handler who is also a trained specialist, and is fully integrated as part of patient care goals for healing and therapy.
For example, working in collaboration with our handler specialist team, Bob helps patients move their arms and/or legs after surgery, and encourages and assists them to leave their room and walk around the unit. He also likes to play fetch with friends and encourages them to release built-up energy while outside in the hospital’s Healing Garden. Bob provides significant and measurable emotional support as well. He helps patients cope during uncomfortable or painful medical interventions. He provides comfort and body pressure to help regulate breathing, reduce anxiety, and calm body movements; and helps to create a safe and normal environment where patients can feel more like themselves. Bob frequently accompanies his human co-worker specialists on their visits to patients throughout the hospital.
Often seen striding through the halls, and standing up to give hugs to willing visitors, Bob’s impact on our patients, families, and his fellow colleagues has been profound. First welcomed to the hospital during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, when visitors were restricted and social distancing measures were in place, Bob quickly became a source of joy and comfort to patients and families during a challenging and sometimes isolating time of their lives. He is also readily available for snuggles or a quick pat from the frontline caregivers who need support and a brief moment of respite in their day.
Bob’s official home is with the hospital’s CARE Center. A new initiative that brings together the collaborative programs of spiritual care, child life, mental health counseling, integrative therapies, such as music, art, Reiki and yoga, and animal-assisted therapy, to support individuals’ overall well-being during their hospital experience.
True to his celebrity status, Bob has his own Instagram page, where he shares powerful, uplifting, educational, and entertaining posts on his work at the hospital and important health messages for the community. Through his Instagram page, he stays connected with many of his patient friends who either have been discharged from the hospital or who are outpatients. They send heartfelt messages to Bob and look forward to seeing him when they return to the hospital for their care.
The support of the Dunkin’ Joy in Childhood Foundation and our other philanthropic partners is vital to helping Tufts Medical Center advance our mission of delivering excellent and, importantly, compassionate care. While the hospital can sometimes be an unsettling environment for some, Bob brings joy, comfort, and compassion in leaps, bounds, and fluffy hugs to our patients, their families, and our dedicated healthcare professionals.
You can learn more about Bob on our website or follow his daily adventures on Instagram @allpawsondeck_tuftsmed.