Pet therapy dogs bring joy to patients at Holston Valley Medical Center

Ballad Health Communications Director Ashlea Ramey said the pet therapy volunteers are an important part of Ballad Health’s team.

“Nationally, pet therapy is recognized for being just overwhelmingly positive and a huge benefit to patients and even our team members,” Ramey said. “Everybody perks up by having the dogs visit. So they’re an important part of our team.”

Ramey said the dogs provide emotional and physical benefits to patients.

Susan Bowers, the leader of the pet therapy team, has been volunteering with Ballad Health for 15 years.

“It’s the most wonderful thing you can do with your dog,” Bowers said. “You get to share your dog, but you share them in so many different ways. People smile when we come by. They say we put joy in their hearts. We are a diversion from what may be going on with them for a little while.”

Nancy Randall, an eight-year volunteer, said she has seen the power of pet therapy. Once, they visited a woman who had a stroke and was nonverbal. When she and her dog visited, the woman spoke.

“Every time we come, something special happens,” Randall said.

Matt Miller and his dog, Pearl, have been volunteering for five years. Miller said the dogs not only help the patients but the staff too.

“The dogs are designed for the benefit and the therapy of the patients, and I found that they are just as much a benefit for the staff as they are for the patients,” Miller said. “Sometimes the staff has a really hard day; they see people suffering all day long, and it’s nice to have a break. So when the dogs come in, it gives them a change of scenery.”

The dogs visited several patients on Friday.

Sara Thorp asked for the dogs to visit her sister-in-law Cynthia Ketron.

Ketron said the dogs made her day.

“They really are therapy,” Ketron said. “They have unconditional love.”

Another patient, John Miller, said the dogs are a diversion from being in the hospital.

Mike Butcher said the dogs made him feel loved. He said having the program shows that Ballad Health cares about its patients.

“This is calming and peaceful, and it’s not needles and stresses,” Butcher said.

“It’s just happiness. It’s a kind, caring gesture and just another way to show that they care about your overall health.”

Anyone interested in joining the pet therapy team can contact Ronda Straley at (423) 408-3277 for more information about requirements and testing.