About Comfort Paws
To help ease anxiety and provide comfort during treatment at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Comfort Paws offers therapy dog visits for patients, families and visitors at our hospitals, outpatient care locations and other healthcare facilities across central Ohio.
First founded in 2023, Comfort Paws mirrors the format of Buckeye Paws, our first therapy dog program, which began in 2020 and now serves our faculty, staff and students of The Ohio State University, including healthcare teams at the Wexner Medical Center.
Request a visit from the Comfort Paws Program
Comfort Paws visits are free and can be made at any Ohio State Wexner Medical Center healthcare location, as long as no health restrictions are in place, such as isolation protocols. Patients, families, visitors or a member of a patient’s healthcare team can request a visit.Comfort Paws schedules visits seven days a week, generally between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. We do our best to meet any specific day or time requests. However, because care schedules shift and your treatment takes priority, we’ll confirm our visit with your care team upon arrival and adjust as needed.
Send your request to ComfortPaws@osumc.edu.
Information to include in your email:
- Your name
- Date of birth
- Preferred visit day and time, if you have one.
- Building name and room number for the visit – no address is needed.
If we’re unable to visit your location, the Comfort Paws team will explain why and, if possible, may suggest an alternate location.
Be a part of our program
Each Comfort Paws dog must be at least 1 year old, spayed or neutered and certified through the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen and Alliance for Therapy Dogs program.
Any training needed to pass the evaluation and certification for Comfort Paws must be completed by an external trainer, with any costs paid by the handler.
To apply to join Comfort Paws as dog-handler team, please email ComfortPaws@osumc.edu.
Meet the Comfort Paws dogs
Archie
Archie is a German shepherd/Great Pyrenees mix and was born in December 2019. He and his three brothers were surrendered to foster care when they were just 10 weeks old. Archie, the runt of the litter, is named after his forever family’s favorite Buckeye football player, Archie Griffin. He grew into his name, going from 12 pounds of fluff to a 75-pound, gentle, hairy beast. Archie loves dog treats and to be petted – he even will bonk humans with his nose if he needs some back scratches. Being a therapy dog seems to come intuitively to Archie as he patiently goes from person to person. Archie’s handler is Kathleen.
Bridger
Bridger is a silver Labrador retriever. He was born on March 28, 2019, at Silver Rain Labradors in Galena, Ohio. Bridger enjoys soft pets on his velvety head or heavy scratches on his butt. Bridger also listens to elementary school children read to him at “Paws for Reading” events at Worthington Libraries. Swimming excites him the most, but he’s always happy to keep your feet warm or curl up with you on a couch for a good nap. Bridger’s handler is John.
Gloria
Gloria is a Shih Tzu. She was born on March 30, 2019. Gloria loves her therapy dog work and enjoys all the attention, pets and cuddles that come with it. In her spare time, Gloria can be found playing with her canine friends, riding in the car and watching Buckeye football. She regularly attends doggy day care, where she insists on hanging out with the big dogs! Gloria’s handler is Jennifer.
Ollie
Ollie is yellow English Labrador retriever who was born on March 16, 2022. After retiring from The James, Ollie’s handler, Julie, was looking for a project and decided that a therapy dog would be the perfect one. With his sweet and lovable demeanor, Ollie truly enjoys visiting patients and families at various Ohio State facilities. He gets so many belly rubs that he’s been known to fall asleep. In his free time, Ollie loves to play ball and be in the water.
Rosie
Rosie is an English cream golden retriever. She was born on Oct. 28, 2022 in Galion, Ohio. Rosie spent the first seven months of her life in a barn kennel until the stars aligned for her to meet her forever family. Rosie’s sweet demeanor and intelligence make her the perfect therapy dog. Her nickname is "Good Girl.” Rosie’s favorite foods are bananas and green beans. Rosie’s handler is Laurie.
Skyler
Skyler is an Australian shepherd/Bernese mountain dog mix, born on Dec. 28, 2020. He began his therapy dog journey as a Buckeye Paws dog, and two years into his career, transitioned to the Comfort Paws team. Off the clock, Skyler enjoys chasing furry friends, swimming and monitoring our airspace for pesky birds. He starts each morning with a smile and his signature happy dance, and ends the day with snuggles, a good belly rub and pleasant conversation. Skyler loves all food, with a particular fondness for chicken treats, broccoli, berries and his favorite bedtime snack, popcorn. Skyler’s handler is Sara.
Wyatt
Wyatt is a goldendoodle and was born on Feb. 17, 2022, in St. Joe, Indiana. He moved to Lexington, Ohio, at 8 weeks old. During the school year, Wyatt proudly serves as a therapy dog at Madison Primary School, spending most of his days in a reading classroom where he listens patiently as children practice their skills. When he's not working at school or volunteering at Ohio State, Wyatt enjoys eating tasty treats, collecting sticks, taking long walks, riding in a convertible with the wind in his fur and relaxing on pontoon boat rides with his family. Wyatt’s handler is Jodi.