As Cincinnati Children’s Hospital adds more full-time facility dogs to its pediatric care, the programs are designed to be more than a friendly distraction. The dogs are trained to work alongside hospital staff during procedures and other difficult moments, and they are intended to help kids feel more comfortable in an environment that can seem sterile and frightening.
At the start of one recent day at the hospital, Hadley met patients in areas where she is allowed to work and spent time with a small group of canine co-workers when she was off duty. Handler Schellie Scott described the routine as a daily blend of patient visits and breaks, with the dogs getting constant attention from staff while they are on the job. Scott said, “Hadley loves life,” and that “Hadley lives big.”
In Cincinnati, Hadley is one of four facility dogs at the children’s hospital. When 5-year-old Calvin Owens went outside for the first time in more than a month, he met Hadley on a hospital patio and managed to stand near his wheelchair long enough to toss her a ball, even though he was tethered to equipment with wires and tubes. Caregivers cheered as Hadley fetched it, and Scott said, “Look how good you’re doing!” as the moment unfolded.
Experts say the appeal of facility dogs is tied to evidence that even short interactions can affect how children feel and how their bodies respond to stress. Kerri Rodriguez, director of the Human-Animal Bond Lab at the University of Arizona, said, “These dogs are making a real difference,” adding that they can provide “a little bit of normalcy, a little bit of comfort, in a really stressful, sterile environment that kids might not feel comfortable in.”
The growth of facility dog programs is not tracked through a single national tally, but Rodriguez pointed to the annual Facility Dog Summit as one indicator. She said attendance nearly doubled from 2024 to 2025, and she described that expansion as part of a broader shift in which children’s hospitals account for most of the growth. She also cited examples of other hospitals that have long used facility dogs, including Mount Sinai Kravis Children’s Hospital in New York, Norton Children’s in Louisville, Kentucky, and St. Louis Children’s Hospital, where Opal splits her time between a pediatric behavioral health unit and a child protection program.
Hospitals generally obtain the dogs through nonprofits such as Canine Companions, which breeds, raises and trains the animals before placing them with handlers at participating hospitals. In that arrangement, the organizations still own the dogs, while hospitals pay recurring costs such as food and veterinary care, and they often seek grants or fundraising to cover those expenses. Although handlers and the dogs live and work together, the day-to-day coverage is still embedded in hospital operations, including protocols to limit infection risk.
The routines also reflect how facility dog access differs from volunteer therapy programs. In Cincinnati and elsewhere, facility dogs can be used in more sensitive areas than volunteer dogs, sometimes to support particular hospital units. Hygiene rules are central to the approach: Hadley, working in Cincinnati’s cancer and blood diseases area, is bathed twice a month and cleaned more often if exposure risk is higher, and handlers use leashes and balls that can be cleaned. Before and after touching the dogs, people are required to sanitize their hands, and when patients are in isolation, the dog stays outside the room—though caregivers say exceptions can occur for a dying child who wants the dog close.
On the floor, the dogs’ work can include encouraging movement and engagement through play and comfort. Bethany Striggles, 11, who had finished chemotherapy for bone cancer, played ball with Hadley and said, “She helps me exercise more.” She added that Hadley is “energetic and happy and always likes to see me,” and the girl rewarded the dog with an ice pop after the game.
Facility dogs can also support families as they cope with long and complicated stays. Asp en Franklin, 14, who has been hospitalized since she was a toddler for a life-threatening immune disorder, has spent time with Hadley in the hospital. Aspen said, “She has a calming presence,” and called it “a comfort to me,” while her mother, Brittney Franklin, described the emotional benefit of having a dog around when patients have to spend time away from pets at home. Scott and caregivers also incorporate the dogs into patient education for upcoming procedures, using materials such as books and themed decorations so the hospital environment feels less unfamiliar.
Hadley’s work does not continue indefinitely, and the dogs eventually return to an office described as a lair with treats, toys and a large dog bed. Above the bed, a bulletin board holds drawings and notes, including one made on orange construction paper with a small pink handprint that reads, “Thank you for being my BEST FRIEND.”