“Sitzen! Good boy.”
K9 handler Austin Fine partners with Buzz, a Belgian Malinois/German Shepherd mix, as a trained Healthcare Work Dog team, one of three now at University of Michigan Health West.
“I think the dogs have had a huge impact on this hospital already for only being here less than two weeks. I’m excited to see what goes from here.”
The presence of the dogs calms staff and patients, much like a therapy dog, but these teams also enhance security, deterring disruptive behavior and de-escalating tense
situations.
“The dogs can achieve something no man can, just by being there.”
Director of Security Gary Gorski says workers in healthcare are five times more likely to experience workplace violence than in other fields.
“We’ve seen it already where a person was extremely disruptive and violent and when a dog came in, the person decided to cooperate, comply with what was being asked and left without incident. That’s what we want.”
The dogs are European bred, trained in southwest Michigan and are nationally certified by the International Police Work Dog Association.
“Bleib!”
Visitors are encouraged to pet and play with the dogs, just ask their handlers first.
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