A Buddy for Veterans
By Kristen Bouwman
Meet Buddy – No one is exactly sure what breed or age
he is, or even where he came from before he was displaced during strong storms and tornadoes in the Midwest. However, it is well known how much he brightens
the days of patients, visitors, and staff alike at our Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
In 2013, Wendi, one of our facility's recreation therapists,
established an animal-assisted therapy program in the
Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Recovery Center at the
VA. Canine Therapy Corps, a group of volunteer therapy
dog trainers/handlers, came in once a week to show group
members how to work with a trained dog. Through learning about the animals, training new tricks, and guiding the
dogs through an agility course, the veterans discovered
their weak and strong points in areas such as communication, social skills, emotional expression, and assertiveness. Once becoming familiar with their own needs, the
veterans addressed and strengthened those skills through
working and communicating with the animals, their handlers, and the VA staff members with whom they were
familiar.
Wendi thought that having a facility dog would be good
for patients and staff alike, so she contacted a few organizations that trained service dogs to see who would bite.
An organization in Peoria, IL answered her application
and invited her to come meet some possible matches.
Wendi had requested a facility dog for a hospital with
mostly adults. This seemed to be a perfect fit for Buddy,
since he was deemed unable to assist someone as a service dog, but everyone could see him as a successful fa-