GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. —
Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital’s first animal-assisted intervention dog, Vandy, retired this week. Vandy is 10 years old and served the hospital for eight years after two years of training.
Vandy helped patients meet their goals and comforted people at the hospital.
“We've used Vandy to help comfort kids of parents who maybe have a disability by having Vandy climb on a wheelchair and show the children that it's okay, that the dog is not afraid, so you don't have to be afraid those kinds of things,” Mary Free Bed manager Maria Besta said.
Vandy also helped with keeping patients committed to their therapy goals.
“It's making rehab fun,” Besta said. “It's using another tool to therapeutically get someone to comply with their goals and shorten the length of stay, ultimately, because Vandy is helping them specifically with that task.”
Vandy came from Paws With A Cause, an organization that trains and places assistance dogs and facility dogs. Vandy was the organization's first animal-assisted intervention dog they placed when they started the facility's dog program.
Mary Free Bed came to them and thought a dog would be a great addition to the team.
Paws With A Cause CEO saw Vandy’s impact on the rehabilitation hospital.
“The kids and the kids at heart love her. You know, she really is like such an important part of the community here. I mean, even earlier that she was saying goodbye to all the nurses and but then also for the patients. I mean, think about how that situation is,” CEO Michelle Suchovsky said. “Think about what it's like when you are a patient and when you're here for rehabilitation. You're not here for three days. You could be here for weeks. This dog really could become part of your therapy. And think about all of the normalcy that gives you in your day-to-day life.”
Vandy’s retirement still leaves a dog at Mary Free Bed. Faith the golden retriever joined the team in 2022.