Brielle Meyer

While the hospital already has therapy dogs, none of them have been full-time. Indi will work 40 hours weekly.

^{Photo credit: WZZM 13}

Note: This is a story I wrote for WZZM 13 in November of 2024. The original can be found here.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital has welcomed a new four-legged team member to help support its young patients through medical procedures.

Indi, a 2-year-old golden retriever, was trained by Paws With A Cause. Indi will be the hospital’s first full-time facility dog.

While the hospital already has therapy dogs, none of them have been full-time. Indi will work 40 hours weekly, providing comfort and support to children undergoing medical treatments.

Spencer Slaghuis, a certified child life specialist, will handle Indi’s daily responsibilities at the hospital as her caretaker.

“She does support procedures here at the Children’s Hospital, everything from pokes and imaging, all kinds of different things,” said Slaghuis. “And her job is really just to empower kids, to show them that they, too, can conquer hard things. And she is able to always provide that, you know, uncanny support and support them through anything. And she’ll just do it with a smile on her face and be ready for anything.”

Paws With A Cause, based in Wayland, Michigan, spent the last two years training Indi for her specialized role in pediatric healthcare.

Indi will work alongside the hospital’s existing therapy dog program, offering additional emotional support to patients and their families during medical interventions.