Therapy and service dogs have become more and more popular over the last few years, providing emotional support and physical comfort to many people in hospitals, nursing homes, and even schools. Everyone benefits from the love and nonjudgmental one-on-one attention of a dog.
The Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children had been searching for the right pup to join their staff and be of assistance to patients, and they recently hired Parks, a two-year-old Labrador retriever who knows more than 40 commands, according to The Washington Post.
Parks was hired in February, and has used his skillset to help support pediatric patients in the hospital, even getting them to go on walks with him.
Parks can do a number of things that most dog owners could only dream of, like turning on light switches with the boop of his snoot and pulling ropes to keep doors and drawers open.
Arguably the most impressive thing Parks can do is play cards with patients, though it's unclear if he prefers a game of "Go Fish" or something more advanced like blackjack.
"He doesn't know which cards to play on his own, but he has the dexterity to gingerly take a single playing card from someone's hand and give it to the other player," author Sydney Page wrote.
Parks works closely with Kim Burbage, a child-life specialist at the hospital, who also takes care of him after their shifts are done with for the day. She told The Washington Post that Parks was the ideal hire.
"He is definitely a huge part of our team," Burbage added.
The hospital found Parks through the nonprofit Canine Companions that train and place service dogs in settings like hospitals to help people as much as they can. It costs nearly $50,000 to train the dogs, and the organization placed 373 dogs throughout the country last year. Although, due to the strict training process, only 55% of the animals are eventually placed at a setting.
"Parks was the best fit for her," Robyn Bush, a trainer at Canine Companions, said. "He stood out as the one that was working really flawlessly with her."
Parks has a fun-loving, "goofy side" to him -- which a look at his face will attest -- but when it comes to work, Burbage said he's focused and ready to help.
"When he is working, he tends to be a little bit more serious, having to focus on all the commands," Burbage said. "I can't wait to see where he's at in a couple months."
His presence at the hospital has already been a mood booster for patients and their families. Makiyah, a patient at the hospital whose full name was withheld for privacy reasons, expressed how nice it is to have Parks around to cuddle and play with.
"I love when he’s around," Makiyah said. "He’s a nice puppy."
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