'Dog-ter' in the house: Children's Specialized Hospital welcomes therapy dog Maui

NEW BRUNSWICK - Maui, the newest full-time staffer at Children's Specialized Hospital (CSH) is ready to work.

With "big paws to fill," the nearly two-year-old golden retriever is the facility's new therapy dog and will continue the work of Burton, who passed away in June.

Trained to work in a health care environment, Maui has completed a high-level therapy dog training program to prepare her to work with children and families. Her job is to provide comfort and emotional support for children during their stay.

Maui is paired with owner/handler Katie Ahlers, a recreational therapy supervisor.

Part of the RWJBarnabas Health Children’s Health Network, CSH hosted a party in Maui's honor on Monday.

Ahlers flew down to Georgia on Thursday and trained with the Patient Paws staff for a few days and the newly bonded buddies flew back together on Sunday.

"Considering that she just arrived in New Jersey the day before, and taking her first flight," Ahlers said. "I think she really handled the whole day well. She was getting introduced to different staff members. She had some patients. She had her welcoming party, which was a huge turnout. And I think she was just trying to take it all in and try to get adjusted to her new working environment."

CSH provides inpatient and outpatient care for children from birth to 21 years of age facing special health challenges – from chronic illnesses and complex physical disabilities like brain and spinal cord injuries, to developmental, behavioral, and mental health concerns.

Maui was greeted by a number of CSH patients, families and staff members as well as Tom and Michele Meli, founders of Mickey’s Kids Charitable Foundation; Steven Berkowitz, a veterinarian at NorthStar VETS in Robbinsville; Debbie Brody of Patient Paws Service Dogs, Inc. and Dr. Matthew B. McDonald III, CSH president and CEO.

"She's going to, no doubt, make a wonderful impact on the physical, mental, social and emotional health of both our patients and our staff and we're thankful to welcome her here at Children's Specialized," McDonald said. "We pride ourselves on helping children who need a little extra help or have any special health care needs. We know that our best care is made possible by a much broader community of supporters."

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While Maui is the only service dog at New Brunswick's CSH, the Mountainside CSH long-term facility has Gallop. Getting Gallop, Burton and now Maui was made possible by Mickey’s Kids Charitable Foundation.

One of Mickey’s Kids Charitable Foundation's goals is to raise money to get as many service/therapy dogs into the region as possible. Each dog costs between $25,000 and $35,000, Meli said.

"We have to acknowledge that Children's Specialized Hospital was the first hospital in New Jersey to step forward and do this program," Meli said. "I don't know of any other hospital now that had hospital facility dogs in their hospitals, where the dogs are actually employees of the hospital."

Maui was raised at the Patient Paws Service Dogs training facility in Alpharetta, Georgia. A non-profit organization, Patient Paws provides facility dogs to hospitals and service dogs at no cost.

Ahlers said the benefits to having Maui on staff are "endless."

"Having a dog's presence just reduces anxiety, providing the distraction and adding an extra fun component to the mix. I think the list can go on and on, really," she said. "We saw such positive results with our past dog Burton there. We hope that she continues on what he started. We're confident that she's going to be great and have a huge impact on our patients and families as well as staff."

According to Ahlers and CSH, dogs can have a profoundly positive impact not only on patients and their families, but hospital personnel as well.

"Maui will be working in therapy sessions with PT (physical therapy), OT (occupational therapy), speech, recreational therapy, Child Life, psych, to address the patient's goals," Ahlers said. "We'll also be spending some time with our staff on the units and then in offices as well as in our recreation room. During free time when the patients aren't scheduled in therapy sessions, they can come in and spend time with her if they want."

Maui is getting used to her new job and home, Ahlers said.

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"She's settling in nicely so far and we've bonded quickly," said Ahlers. "She loves her little stuffy toys. So as long as they're around, she's super happy and cute and loves to show them to everybody."

Maui was handpicked by Patient Paws from their dogs to specifically become CSH's therapy dog.

"Patient Paws was given information about the type of setting we have here and what the role would be for the dog and then they picked her from the dogs that they had in the program down there," Ahlers said. "Either the dogs go to an individual and become a working dog for somebody that has a disability, or they are placed in a facility to help a hospital."

According to Ahlers, Maui gets scheduled for therapy sessions just as a human therapist would be scheduled.

"She has her own schedule in our computer system," Ahlers said. "We do try to limit how many sessions she has a day and, of course, we have to build in rest breaks. Because dogs take on a lot of what humans are feeling and that emotional piece − that can be very draining for them. So we'll kind of figure out how Maui will do each day."

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With Burton, Ahlers saw the success of the program.

"I saw it every day," she said. "I was lucky to be a part of all the special moments that Burton created here at our hospital with the patients and families. We're happy Maui's here and eager to see what what comes about with what she does each day for our kids."

email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Children's Specialized Hospital welcomes therapy dog Maui