Therapy Dogs

The beloved pups from Doylestown Health's Animal-Assisted Activity program have eased back to in-person visits after a long hiatus due to COVID-19.

“We’re thrilled to have our animal-assisted activity dogs and their wonderful, volunteer handlers back with us,” says Barb Hebel, vice president of Human Resources at Doylestown Health and one of the program’s biggest fans. “The visits brighten the day for patients and during the pandemic have played an especially important role in boosting morale.”

“Our goal is to spread joy, and visits from the dogs also provide stress relief and a temporary distraction from the challenges of the day,” says Joyce Rivas, advisory chair of the Doylestown Health Animal-Assisted Activity team, who was among the first handlers to return with Pip, her Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.