CANTON, Ohio — Throughout the pandemic, you've likely heard about supply chain issues and shortages in restaurants, stores and other businesses.
You can add a lack of four-legged hospital visitors to that list.
Cleveland Clinic is currently looking for certified therapy dog/handler teams to visit multiple hospitals as part of Caring Canines program. There is program in place to get the canines certified as therapy dogs, hospital officials said.
The program was put on pause for more than two years due to the pandemic, but it returned earlier this year.
Before the pandemic started, Cleveland Clinic had about 175 teams in U.S. hospitals, but now that number has dropped dramatically to about 60 teams because many of dogs and their owners haven't returned.
"Some of our teams got older. Some of our teams retired. Some of our teams are still a little nervous about the pandemic. As the dogs age, sometimes they're not able to do the longer visits," said Stephanie Williams, the manager of the volunteer services department at Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital.
Randy Rich said he missed bringing his Goldendoodle, Ritchie, to Mercy Hospital the past few years.
"He was kind of depressed because he missed all the people and all the attention he used to get here," Rich said.
Rich and Ritchie returned to the hospital about five weeks ago and the team visits patients and staff members in the ICU every Wednesday.
"He just has the perfect temperament to be a therapy dog," Rich said. "It's a relief. They get a chance to pet him, interact with him and he doesn't judge. He's just such a benefit not only to the patients, but certainly the staff as well."
Rich said he hopes the attention to the shortage encourages others to bring therapy dogs to hospitals or get them trained.
"When we walk through the hall, he's doing his job when people just smile."
Click here for more information on volunteering for Caring Canines and other programs.
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