The Pets Helping Us Recover (PHUR) Program at UC Davis Medical Center was created to help patients recover with the assistance of pet therapy. When dogs and their handlers arrive on visiting days with their badges [yes, Fido gets a photo badge as well!], they check in at the nurses station on the floor to which they've been assigned to find out which patients may be interested in a visit; then all you do is introduce yourselves to each patient, ask if they'd be interested in a visit, and hang out as long as the patient wants!

The PHUR Program is coordinated through the Med Center's Volunteer Services unit, and accepts volunteer applications year round from dogs with the proper temperament and personality to perform visits with patients in a medical setting; your dog should enjoy meeting new people, be 'house trained', mellow enough to stay calm with noisy large equipment moving by quickly/suddenly, and well behaved enough that they won't be jumpin' on anybody's IV cart. Dogs and their handlers commit to two or more visits per month [weekdays, early evening or weekends] for one year; dogs must be bathed and their ears cleaned before each visit.

Part of the application process includes an interview and dog screening by an animal behaviorist, a volunteer orientation for the handler, lab tests for the dog and health clearance for the owner. To obtain a PHUR application packet, please call and ask that a PHUR application be mailed to you.