A two-year-old golden retriever/labradoodle is the newest addition to Wellstar Golisano Children’s Hospital of Georgia’s facility dog team.
Staff and patient celebrated Popcorn with a party on the hospital’s fifth floor Jan. 20.
“He’s very chill and very laid back, but he loves to be on the go. He’s going to be a great fit for our pediatric clinics,” said Harleigh Smith, Popcorn’s handler and a child life specialist.
Popcorn stepped up after the hospital’s first facility dog, Nugget, retired in November at the age of 10. Popcorn arrived around Thanksgiving from Canine Assistants near Atlanta and is getting acclimated to various parts of the hospital. He won’t be assigned to just one department, but he will be utilized in several.
One part of the hospital where he is needed is the pediatric outpatient clinic. He’ll be there to help ease children’s fears when undergoing procedures or infusions.
The outpatient clinic hasn’t had much animal support in about two years. It became too demanding on Nugget as she got older. He’ll need that puppy energy to keep up.
“When he’s going full throttle, he’ll see 20 to 40 patients a day,” she said.
Popcorn joins the hospital’s other dogs, Loretta and Casey. Loretta works more in hematology and pediatric oncology while Casey works in the OR.
Smith said Nugget was a Swiss Army knife of sorts and expects to teach Popcorn to be the same.
Weighing in at 81 pounds, Popcorn is solid muscle and all kinds of sweetness, according to Smith, who called him a “gentle giant”.
When his workday is through, Popcorn goes home with Smith to be with his sister, Nugget, who has welcomed him into the family. Smith said Nugget is happily enjoying her retirement. She’s not jealous of him going to work with Smith every morning and has no problems passing on the torch.
“We’re very adamant that he’s not her replacement,” she said. “She’s the queen, and Popcorn is our first king.”
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years. She’s won multiple Georgia Press Association awards and is the recipient of the 2018 Greater Augusta Arts Council’s media award. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
