"Having a facility-based service dog takes time and commitment, but it results in lasting friendships. With their unconditional and non judgmental love, facility-based service dogs give a wonderful and life-changing gift," says Marcia Fritzmeier, a therapy dog trainer and caretaker at The Mayo Clinic.

It is this life-changing gift that we are hoping to share with our patients at Jade Integrated Health. For this reason, we have decided to welcome Dash as our new “staff member.”

According to Therapy Dogs International Inc., research suggests dogs have “quality of life benefits” on adults, which appear on psychological, physical, social, and behavioral levels.  While their research showed dogs benefit people by decreasing blood pressure and increasing physical mobility, the areas they often affect most are patient alertness, verbalization, and socialization, as well as positive mood alterations.

Delta Society, a nonprofit organization, has also found similar benefits that prove patient interactions with animals improve patients’ health and well-being. Dash will help our patients work through their physical activity and increase their positive energy. Dash is a wonderful new addition to our staff, and we look forward to our patients working with her.