Medical Dog Helps Patients Recover with Play

Meet Ansley, the cutest MD on staff at Nationwide Children's Hospital. Ansley is a medical dog, and helps patients on our rehab unit recover with play.
To learn more about Ansley and our physical medicine and rehabilitation program, visit bit.ly/12ms3OM.
Connect with a specialist at bit.ly/12ms9Gb.

[@stormy439]

I was nonresponsive for 2 weeks after a spinal cord injury. My best friend was sitting in my room trying to get me to wake up by telling hilarious lies about me. No response. Then she heard the elevator door open, followed by the sound of dog nails on tile. Suddenly, I said, "DOG!" and fell out of bed dragging my IV stand, catheter bag, & a gazillion wires down with me in a huge crash! As nurses rushed in, my friend rushed out to the hallway in tears, yelling, "Please bring the dog NOW!" I remember being in darkness alone, and suddenly, there was this big wiggly dog licking my face and clambering over me, and I couldn't stop laughing and hugging that dog! It was my first moment "back!". Tears are just rolling down my face as I write this because these wonderful 4-legged angels DO MAKE a DIFFERENCE in a hospital!! Thankyou all!😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍

[@reneehughes7860]

I believe dogs are guardian angels in disguise.

[@21whichiswhich]

I hope this children all be well soon. Thanks for the help of this wonderful dog and the dedicated staffs. Tears of Joy.

[@fabtv2890]

Ansley badge is the cutest thing ever 😭😭😭 I wish all the babies health and happiness ❤️

[@DianaKazimiera-]

#TherapyDogIsGreat 💚🐕🐾 #TherapyDogIsGreatForAllChildren 🌏🌎🌍🐾❤️ #GoodHealthForAllChildren ♥️ Fantasting project! Fantasting therapy! Good luck 👋Great respect 🕊️

[@explodingcrack435]

Kids love it, Ansley loves it, I love it :)

[@robertsilva8097]

It is so neat to see this service animal help the patients

[@julieeverett7442]

not a service animal, this is a therapy dog, NOT the same thing

[@erykahcain42]

It made me cry =)=)

[@ACTIONANIMALSSERBIA]

Thank you

[@tracieattword5136]

good work ansley :-)

[@tobiuchiha8746]

so cute

[@serpente300]

now, the parents must take a dog for Haley

[@Deaths_Beloved]

i agree

[@flippy2208]

Now she needs a service dog

[@TaoOfDolly]

I added your buddhaful video on my KZbin Channel. Love, Dolly the Boston Buddha xx

[@heyphilphil]

I just hope someone takes Ansley out to let him be a dog and do what dogs like to do. The truth is working dogs are probably very loved.....but it's no life to sit and wait on a cold tile floor for hours....or walk around a hospital floorall day.... Then call it a day. These dogs are Angels and I'm sure everyone loves them....but dogs are pack animals with needs of their own....so hopefully Ansely gets to go out running, swimming, hiking, fetching as well. I just feel sometimes Working dogs don't get to .....

[@NationwideChildrens]

Thanks for watching! And yes, of course Ansley was incredibly well loved! And yes, he lived a dog's very full life. He went home every night every night with a loving family including children. Our MDs are very special to us - they are well cared for and loved beyond the incredible impact they have on our kids going through treatments.

[@Inciliusnebulifer]

Actually most service dogs get to join their favorite human all day while out and about with several breaks thru out to go play at a park or whatever and then go home, sometimes back with their pet housemate who had to sit in a crate this whole time waiting, and play some more and in days where they don't have to go into public or whatever they get to do dog things like dog parks, beaches, hikes, lakes etc. Trust me their living their best life. Even pets with well off owners who go to doggy day care are often locked in with under socialized and nervous other dogs that attack them and the staff isn't paid enough to care. So no, not every dog just wants to be a pet. Maybe if their owner worked from home every day or something, but it would still be under stimulated

[@robertsilva8097]

Actually this nurse physical therapist is wrong is if a person has a service animal under the law that service animal is allowed to go anywhere with that its owner so in a way that lady is wrong I have a service animal and under the law my service animals allowed to go with me anywhere so far example if I was in the hospital my service animal is allowed to be with me by my side under the law

[@julieeverett7442]

not quite, a service animal can go anywhere the PUBLIC can go, they cannot go into the operating room, burns unit, sometimes the cancer ward and sometimes xray. And this is a therapy dog not service, a service dog is trained for a specific person, therapy dogs work for a group

[@zjones9876]

I think Ava's mom is the model Felicity from SimonScans. (google it)