Meet the hospital dogs that provide full-time care for young sick patients

Moments of joy are common whenever hospital facility dogs show up to spend time with patients.

These furry caregivers aren’t the typical therapy dogs volunteers bring to hospitals.

They are specially-trained, full-time working dogs allowed to enter sensitive areas where volunteers can’t go.

And experts say their ranks are growing at children’s hospitals across the nation.

A mounting body of research shows that even short interactions with facility dogs can improve children’s overall well-being, decrease the pain they feel and reduce stress.

The dogs support kids during stressful procedures, motivate them to move around and make hospitals seem less scary.