- May 3, 2024
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Since early June at HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital, the sounds of the hallways have included more than the bustle of medical activity and clanking of equipment. They've also contained the jingle of a dog leash followed by squeals of joy from staff.
The administrative team at the hospital long considered the idea of serving as puppy raisers for Southeastern Guide Dogs because the hospital's CEO, Robert Meade, holds a position on the board of SGD.
Chief Medical Officer Jennifer Bocker and Chief Operations Officer Kelly Malloy ultimately accepted the offer to raise and train Skipper, a black Labrador retriever.
The pair take turns bringing Skipper home and taking her on rounds through the hospital. In doing so, they expose her to the unpredictable hospital environment, helping her learn to eventually guide an individual with vision loss. But Skipper's presence in the hospital is already having an effect on staff and visitors.
As Bocker and Malloy make their daily rounds through the hospital, Skipper can be seen trotting along with them on a leash.
There is no denying their new companion has changed the nature of their daily activities. Their duties are met with smiles and adoration, and frequent stops for greetings with Skipper.
Bocker and Malloy said Skipper, who quickly takes on new information, is making excellent progress in her training.
Having begun like any puppy, eager to nip and pick up objects in her mouth, Skipper now draws compliments on her calm demeanor, Bocker said.
The pair said the training Skipper receives at the hospital offers opportunities that could not be obtained at just any location. Skipper learns from unique experiences because she is exposed to wheelchairs, stretchers, elevators and large pieces of equipment not seen by most dogs or people, along with sudden noises.
Even when Bocker and Malloy bring her outside the hospital, she is unbothered by the sounds of large trucks approaching the building.
“That’s the goal — to make sure that she is comfortable and feels safe in every part of the world,” Bocker said.
For Malloy, the achievement has a personal significance.
She has a clinical background in occupational therapy, and her grandfather, Jack Houghtlin, lost his sight and went through training to use a cane.
“It fed right into my therapy part, and the things that I’m passionate about,” she said. “It was neat that this was such a connection for this hospital. To be able to do some of that feels good for me.”
Neither Bocker nor Malloy is a stranger to being around animals.
At home, Kelly has one rescue dog, Cali, whose caregiver is her husband Tophie Malloy. Bocker has four rescue dogs named Griz, Jazz, Ash, and Norm, and three rescue cats, Maya, Bella, and Jinx, who are cared for by her husband, Brian Ball.
“That’s a good thing in Southeastern Guide Dogs’ eyes, that she is exposed to pet dogs,” Bocker said.
Bocker said initially, the two had doubts about whether they would be able to handle the responsibility of Skipper on top of the executive roles they held.
“The week before we got her I had this inner feeling of, 'Oh my gosh, can we do this?' This is a lot of responsibility, but she makes it so easy to train her,” Bocker said.
She said Skipper learns quickly, while Southeastern Guide Dogs offers a “great” plan and extensive support.
When Bocker and Malloy are working with clients, Skipper will simply take a seat under a table or chair as she has been trained to do. When she’s done for the day, she’ll put herself to sleep in her crate.
Meanwhile, the hospital staff have enthusiastically embraced their role in Skipper’s training. They will ignore her if she jumps or nips, as they have been taught to do, while executive assistants have brought in their children in to meet her.
“She's basically the hospital's puppy at this point,” said Bocker.
Skipper returns the love by helping to melt away the stress of the hospital environment.
“Then thing I notice is, no matter what is going on, any time you walk in a place with her, everybody’s mood lifts,” Bocker said. “Everybody smiles.”
One particularly emotional occasion took place during Skipper’s first week at the hospital when she was visiting the laboratory. Although Bocker and Malloy didn’t realize it, one staff member, who is hard of hearing, had once had a guide dog who was a black Lab like Skipper.
When Skipper arrived, the entire lab team ran to fetch the team member.
“She walked in and she teared up and said, ‘Oh my gosh, this is so amazing,” Bocker said. “It was such a great thing to see that lab team support their team member who they knew was struggling, and then for Skipper to play such an impactful role that we just didn’t even know until we walked in.”
Malloy said Skipper’s presence has also opened up an avenue to discuss Southeastern Guide Dogs and what it offers.
"It's been great to talk so much and so openly to such a variety of people, about Southeastern Guide Dogs and the work that they do and the work that Skipper is training to do,” Malloy said.
While Skipper's journey as a guide dog is still unfolding, the hospital staff look forward to a day when she will make a lasting impact on someone’s life.
Skipper currently attends Puppy Kindergarten, where she learns essential skills while the two caregivers are tested on their training. After kindergarten ends in two weeks, their responsibility will be to expose Skipper to places that offer escalating challenges — stores, buses, trains and planes.
When she is returned to Southeastern Guide Dogs in a year, Skipper will attend Puppy University, which will build on the foundational skills Malloy and Bocker have been teaching and eventually pair her with someone who needs her.
In the meantime, Skipper will continue lifting moods at HCA Florida Sarasota Doctors Hospital.
“Health care is stressful. This is a stressful place to work and a stressful place to be for everybody,” said Bocker. “So, to have her be able to relieve that stress a little bit, is a wonderful gift.”
