angel on a leash

As it enters its third year of existence, The Westminster Kennel Club's therapy dog program, Angel On A Leash, is growing in many ways, continuing to change the lives of many people in need.

Under the leadership of program coordinator Greer Griffith, Angel On A Leash continues to be a wonderful success in benefiting the young patients at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian. The number of volunteer teams has grown to more than 25 since the program's inception.

Volunteer teams continue to be active in the Child Life Department at the Hospital. There, the benefits of the therapy dog visits are spontaneous, coming from interaction between the patient and the dog and its human partner and promoting smiles, conversation and positive emotional responses.

And recently, Angel On A Leash teams have expanded their roles, adding more involved activities in the Occupational / Physical Therapy Department. There the dog becomes an integral part of the treatment process, working with a health professional to promote specific goal-oriented improvements in physical, emotional and cognitive skills of the individual patients.

Angel On A Leash volunteer teams have also begun to visit the Ronald McDonald House in New York City. The New York House is one of more than 200 Ronald McDonald Houses around the world that provide a "home away from home" for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals, a low-cost temporary residence near the medical facility where family members can stay and find support from other families in similar situations.

The use of therapy dogs has been shown to help reduce stress for pediatric patients and their families. Studies are showing the many benefits, ranging from encouraging smiles and conversation, to motivating them during physical therapy