May 11, 2009

Rikki is one of 100 dogs in the ComForT program which aids citizens across Florida. The Golden Retriever, a Hurricane Katrina Survivor, specializes in hospital visits with stroke victims. (ZT Pet News Photo By Joe Bonner)

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- William Armbrecht is recovering from stroke and his eye-hand coordination needs work.

"Keep your head straight -- You've done so much better this afternoon than in the morning,” a physical therapist says. But Armbrecht's cooperation fades and he turns into a cantankerous patient.

So the staff at Tallahassee Memorial Hospital calls in its secret weapon -- a Golden Retriever-mix.

Named Rikki, short for Rikki Lake Ponchartrain, she's a Hurricane Katrina survivor who has now learned a new trick -- fooling patients into doing physical therapy.

"You pet a dog, it releases endorphins and you feel better," said Rikki's owner Chuck Mitchell, "And frankly, from a therapist standpoint, you get a more complaint patient. Sometimes they'll do something for a dog that they flat won't do for a person."

Rikki and Mitchell make their rounds at the Tallahassee Memorial Hospital as part of a program called ComForT, or Companions for Therapy. Started 30 years ago, the program's original goal was to help the elderly in retirement homes, yet the mission soon expanded to schools, hospitals, health facilities, assisted living homes and even the court room to help testimonies.

The success of the program in hospital has been remarkable, according to the doctors and staff at TMH.


"It's motivation for the patients," said Karen Diggs, occupational therapist at Tallahassee Memorial, "When they see the dog, they want to do it for the dog and not for us. We usually reach our goals faster with the dog than on our own with a cone. So it's beneficial."

Since they've begun using ComForT, the hospital's noticed that unwilling patients are willing to do their exercises, even if they are tricked into doing it. With Rikki around, the recovery process moves impetuously because every time a patient pets the dog, he's "fooled" into doing his exercises without even knowing it.

"Human healing can be aided by these animals," said Mitchell. "We see it every time we do a visit. We see connections and small miracles that happen. It's tremendous and satisfying. It's great stuff."

Stroke victim Leonard Riley has also benefited from Rikki. He's not very excited about doing his therapy. Doctors at TMH need Riley to work on his balance and learn to walk again. But he only wants to walk the halls when he's walking Rikki.

And the healing begins with Rikki. A canine who's mission in life is to help humans recover any way she can.

"Bottom line is we have to inspire trust and confidence when we walk into a patients room," said Mitchell, "Rikki trusts me, I trust her. We know how to work together. But I'm just the guy on the leash and the guy that drives her around. I don't know how any of this works. It's all the dog."

But not just any dog. A dog that was on the verge of losing her own life and is now doing her part to save the lives of others.

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