HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — This sister-brother dynamic duo is able to do their job at Huntsville Hospital through a program called 'Canines for Coping', which is 100% donor-funded.
The Canines for Coping program is funded by the Foundation's Lifesaver Club hospital employee giving club, a generous grant from PetSmart Charities and donations from other generous community partners.
The two golden retriever pups are full-time employees, working a total of 40 hours a week at the hospital, they also have their very own employee badges and business cards as well.
Asteroid and Orbit are also Certified Child Life Specialists whose roles are to support children with procedures, help them understand their diagnosis and treatment plan, and process through traumatic experiences with proven evidence-based results and of course to give a lot of cuddles.
"Our dogs can get up on the MRI and CT table and show kids how they work and kids feel like, 'well, if a dog can do it, then it must be safe for me!' They'll lay with kids while they get their 'pokes,' so, an IV or a blood draw or they can pet our dogs, sometimes we distract them," said Huntsville Hospital's Facility Dog Coordinator, Stefani Williams.
And although this program is donor-funded, it is completely free to patients and their families.
In fact, PetSmart Charities awarded the hospital with a grant of $186,000 that will fund the program throughout 2023 (and pay Asteroid and Orbit their salaries!)
For more information about the Canines for Coping program, click here.