Dog helps ease anxiety, pain for young Massachusetts patients [Video]

DIFFERENCE. AND NOT JUST FOR PATIENTS. SARAH. HELLO? THERE’S SOMEONE NEW MAKING THE ROUNDS AT MASS GENERAL FOR CHILDREN. GOOD MORNING. HI, LIAM. HOW ARE YOU? HE MAY BE NEW TO THE JOB, BUT CLEARLY HE’S ALREADY A PROFESSIONAL. LET’S GIVE A BIG VISIT. THIS IS ONLY HIS THIRD DAY OF WORK, BUT HE’S ALREADY DOING SUCH WONDERFUL THINGS HERE. THE GOLDEN RETRIEVER LABRADOR MIX IS THE HOSPITAL’S FIRST FACILITY DOG. WORKING WITH HANDLER AND CHILD LIFE SPECIALIST EVA MINTZ. HIS ROLE IS TO WORK WITH ME AND REALLY HAVE A LOT OF THERAPEUTIC CLINICAL INTERVENTIONS WITH OUR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES TO BRING OBVIOUSLY, COMFORT AND TO BRING JOY. MINTZ SAYS SHE’S READ A LOT ABOUT THE IMPACT DOGS LIKE CASEY CAN HAVE ON PATIENTS, FROM STRESS RELIEF TO EVEN EASING PAIN. BUT SEEING IT FIRSTHAND IS A WHOLE NEW BALL GAME. I’VE SEEN WHAT A HUGE IMPACT HE HAS. …