For 17 years, therapy dogs have been supporting patients and their families at Lansing’s University of Michigan Health Sparrow. The dogs take turns throughout the week visiting patient rooms, but one dog in particular has the job full time.
Lilo is a three-year old Bernedoodle and is Sparrow’s only employed therapy dog. She spends five days a week, eight hours a day going from room to room bringing comfort and smiles to patients.
“She’s very calm and laid back when she’s here at work,” Penny Russell, Lilo’s handler said. “I don’t think she’s got a mean bone in her body.”
Russell is also employed at Sparrow and works alongside Lilo, but she didn’t always have what she calls 'the best job in the world'.
Before Lilo was born, Russel was responsible for greeting and directing every patient and visitor who walked into the hospital. She says she loved the job, but it became stressful during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I was on the front line during the pandemic,” Russel recalled. “I was the first person you would see when you walked in the hospital, and I was doing what was needed to be done to keep the hospital safe and people safe.”
That all changed for Russel in 2021 when she was approached by hospital administrators about a job as Lilo’s handler.
“They told me they were going to get an in house pet therapy dog and I applied for it and interviewed and got it,” she said. “I was just very blessed.”
Since then both Russel and Lilo have spent nearly every day together. Russel’s job is to keep up with Lilo’s trainings, take care of her and to notice when Lilo needs a break.
“When she's overstimulated, and she's had enough, she will kind of walk by people,” Russel explained. “She never totally ignores them but that’s when I know she’s had enough for the day.”
Lilo also has had special training to detect bed bugs, which helps care providers keep patients and the building safe.
"She can tell when there's bed bugs and that allows us to clean and make sure everything is disinfected appropriately," Russel said.
Sparrow has thirteen therapy dogs, all except for Lilo are handled by volunteers. The canines are all certified therapy dogs, meaning they have received training to manage their natural reflexes and remain approachable by both adults and children, including those with unexpected behaviors.
“If we could have thirty therapy dogs it would be my ultimate wish or even more,” said Margaret Diamond, President of the University of Michigan Health-West Region. “Because we have so many patients that really are in need of that connection and that love that these canines give.”
