CLEVELAND — Cleveland Clinic Children’s hospital welcomed their newest team member on Wednesday. A Golden Retriever, appropriately named “Kid” is the hospital’s very first facility dog.
The Clinic is no stranger to service or therapy dogs, but Kid is different.
An integral part of the Child Life Services team, Kid is specially trained to help young patients perform certain tasks, like taking pills and getting some exercise. He will also help comfort patients, who might be frightened during some medical procedures.
“Having a dog that's integrally part of our team, will be here all the time and will be available for all of the activities that are for all the Child Life Specialists take part in, and he will get to know our hospital and our patients very well, and vice versa they him. So he will become part of the care team,” said Dr. Karen Murray Chair of the Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital.
Kid is one of 11 facility dogs granted nationwide by the Joy in Childhood Foundation, which is sponsored by Dunkin and Baskin Robbins.