Children’s Healthcare adds two therapy dogs

Two new dogs have joined the Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta Canines for Kids team, according to a news release. The hospital now has 16 dogs therapy dogs.

After graduating from Canine Assistants camp Flo and Dory spent their first week on the job at the Egleston campus.

Flo will be working with kidney transplant, liver transplant, GI intestinal rehabilitation, and outpatient infusion patients.

Dory is going to work in the Children’s Camp program so she will spend lots of time at Camp Twin Lakes. When Dory isn’t at camp, she will be making surprise visits to Egleston and Scottish Rite. You might also catch her at the office park from time to time helping with the behindthe-scenes camp preparation.

Last month, CHOA launched its new therapy dog Instagram channel @therapydogsofchoa. In less than 24 hours, it had over 1,000 followers.

The program’s highly sensitive facility dogs are from Canine Assistants, a group that raises and trains service dogs for physical disabilities and other special needs. Dogs work with our providers to minimize stress of the hospital, support the overall social, physical and emotional development of the patient, reduce anxiety, provide distraction from illness and hospitalization and help patients overcome the loss of being separated from their own pets. The Canines for Kids program is entirely donor funded.