Roger Berkow, MD, his wife, Patty, and their dogs, Boomer and Foster, are celebrities at Children's Hospital — some local nursing homes, too. Berkow says it's all because of Boomer and Foster.

The dogs are an Australian-born mix of Labrador and poodle, or Labradoodle. As certified therapy dogs, they perform missions of comfort and cheer.

"I've become the doctor with the dog," says Berkow. "Even when Boomer isn't with me, the children I see ask about him. Even when Boomer isn't with me, the children seem calmer. I'm not so threatening anymore."

A pediatric oncologist, Berkow generally sees children while wearing his white lab coat, and most times he has needles for drawing blood or providing treatments. He says it's during these times when the children are most stressed from the poking and prodding.
One day, Berkow was going about his daily routines when he read an article about dogs and other pets being used to relieve stress in patients. He started paying closer attention when Hand-In-Paw brought animals to the hospital for therapy sessions.

Hand-In-Paw is a nonprofit organization of professionally trained therapy teams that use animals to help people heal. Some 60 percent of Hand-In-Paw's therapy animals are from shelters or rescue facilities. Most of its programs focus on children and youth.
Berkow realized how much calm and joy their family pets had brought to his own family, and he decided to get Boomer and Foster trained as animal therapists. Since he and Patty, a pediatric nurse, spent so much time at Children's they figured getting involved with Hand-In-Paw was a good way to give back. He says it also helped them deal with "empty nest" syndrome after their two adult sons, ages 23 and 26, had left home.

It takes more than a sweet pet to be certified by Hand-In-Paw. A seven-week obedience training program is a prerequisite to the certification course, which can take up to nine months. Owners can choose between four program areas for their animals to participate in: Petscription; Sit, Stay, Read! — for literacy resistant readers; Pawsitive Living — geared toward at-risk youth; and Paws for Comfort — disaster relief. Foster and Boomer participate in the Petscription program.

"You can't predict what an animal will do in any given situation," Berkow cautions. "They have to like being petted, but can't lick or show signs of aggression. They also can't be afraid of sirens, medical equipment or wheel chairs."

He says Boomer took the training in stride, but Berkow himself stressed about it some. He needn't have worried. "Boomer and Foster are loving and patient," says Kim Polkowski, Hand-In-Paw director of community relations and development. "It's amazing (the children's reaction to Dr. Berkow and his dogs). They see the human side of the doctor, the side that's like them."

She says the Berkows are among 75 pet partner teams. Hand-In-Paw visits 60 facilities in Birmingham. Last year, 38,000 patient contacts were made.

Usually Boomer's arrival is announced at the hospital and the children are brought down from their rooms to the lobby where he is petted or held. He gets to visit upstairs, too.

"Since I see children with cancer or blood disorders, it's wonderful to see the children relax. They love it," says Berkow. "Playing with Boomer is definitely a distraction from needles, blood and treatment."

Berkow says Boomer gets a different reaction from residents at area nursing homes, whose faces brighten at the bundle of wags they receive, especially those who have few visitors.

"We give comfort, even if for a minute," he says.


June 2007