At a recent nursing conference hosted by UAB, Hand in Paw joined attendees during their lunch break. The event was full of energy, but our presence offered something different: a small moment of pause.
Three Therapy Dogs greeted nurses who stopped by — a few minutes of calm in the middle of a very full day.
One nurse approached a little differently. She sat quietly beside Sadie, a gentle Hand in Paw Therapy Dog, and began stroking her back with slow, familiar movements.
Mark, Sadie’s handler, made small talk at first — the kind he’d shared at countless visits. But then something shifted.
The nurse grew quiet, still petting Sadie. Tears began to well in her eyes and soon spilled over.
Through soft tears, she shared that her own dog had recently died. Sitting with Sadie brought back memories of peaceful, joyful moments with her companion — comforting, and also tender in their timing.
She thanked Mark for bringing Sadie. That short visit, she explained, helped her move through her grief. Just a few minutes gave her space to breathe, feel, and remember.
For Mark, it was a reminder of something simple but profound: this is what Animal-Assisted Therapy can do.
Therapy Animals don’t fix everything. They don’t take away pain. But they offer presence — a chance to pause, reconnect, and heal in small but meaningful ways.
Moments like this unfold across our community every day. Hand in Paw Therapy Teams visit hospitals, schools, memory care facilities, workplaces, and other Program Partners throughout Central Alabama and Tuscaloosa.
A Therapy Animal may not change the world — but for someone in pain, they can change one moment.
And sometimes, that moment is everything.
Learn more about becoming a Therapy Team and supporting Hand in Paw’s mission!
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