Rowan Magazine | The People. The Places. The Way of Life.

Each day at Carolinas Medical Center NorthEast, doctors and nurses make their rounds, give medicine and perform surgery. Visitors talk in hushed voices or pace the hallways awaiting news about a loved one. And on a regular basis, a four-legged furry friend brings its contagious love on a leash to lift the spirits of all.
     Every Thursday, sporting his very own name badge, Luke Honbarrier roams the halls, eager to be petted or give a child a high five, but mostly to brighten the days of those both giving and getting care. The chocolate Labrador retriever is one of three pet therapy dogs at the medical center.
     Though the visits are scheduled, the time Luke and his owner, Ron Honbarrier, spend at the hospital is casual and spontaneous.
     The medical center has three teams of volunteers who perform pet therapy with patients – Ron and Luke; June Evans and her Sheltie, Lad; and Vickie Wilhelm and her West Highland Terrier, Wynston.
     “It’s a great diversion for people,” says Katherine Barrier, director of volunteer services for CMC NorthEast. “Sometimes the staff enjoys it as much as anyone else.”
     A retired educator and volunteer at CMC-NorthEast, Honbarrier has been participating in pet therapy since 2003. He first learned about it when he witnessed another volunteer bring her dog to the facility.
     “It was amazing to see patients, visitors and employees react in such a positive way,” he says. “Our dog had enough of the same characteristics and temperament that I thought would allow him to do pet therapy.”
     Pet therapy dogs at CMC-NorthEast must adhere to a standard of behavior. Barrier said dogs must undergo immunization and a behavioral evaluation with a veterinarian, among other things. The animals have to be calm and not react to the noises, smells and general buzz of a medical facility. “You never know the atmosphere that is going to be in a patient’s room,” Barrier says.
     So after veterinarian certification, Honbarrier began pet therapy with Jake, his dog at the time. This chocolate Labrador retriever had been a retirement gift from his wife, Jane. Unfortunately, Jake’s calling was cut short when Honbarrier lost his four-legged companion in an accident. Jake was six years old.
     Today Honbarrier works with Luke, who is almost two years old. Though most dogs are typically older before they do pet therapy, Luke took to training quickly, allowing him to start at a younger age. “We have worked with Luke on basic obedience training; however, his temperament is natural. He is unusually calm to be so young,” Honbarrier says.
     Luke makes a good therapy dog because of his love of people and attention. Dogs that do therapy must be able to respond to their owner, even in the midst of loud or sudden noises. “The most unique thing about Luke is how calm and laid-back he is while in the hospital,” Honbarrier says.

     So every Thursday morning, he and Luke set off to spend four hours brightening patients’ days. “It seems that Luke knows when it is Thursday,” he says. “He always follows me around while I'm getting ready. When I put on his hospital ID, he waits at the door, making sure he doesn't get left behind.”
     Once there, Luke visits with patients, visitors and hospital staff. The morning usually begins in the surgery center waiting area. “Families are sometimes anxious or nervous about their loved one having surgery,” Honbarrier says. Luke makes his rounds in the waiting room, getting petted and coaxing smiles from even the most worried family members.
     After the surgery center, the two visit the senior behavioral unit, then all cardiology units and pediatrics. They also do a general walk-through, stopping at nursing units and greeting staff. Honbarrier makes a point to ask if there is any patient who might particularly benefit from a visit with Luke, and they often get special requests from staff or family to see certain patients.
     Their last stop of the day is the cancer center because they spend the most time there. Patients who receive treatment on Thursdays see Luke every week.
     “Luke and Ron make a great pair,” says Barrier. “Ron has obviously trained his dog with a lot of compassion, because he is just a sweet dog.”
     “I enjoy bringing Luke to CMC-NorthEast because he loves to go, and it always brings a smile, joy and comfort to patients, visitors and staff,” Honbarrier says.
     Barrier has witnessed that joy and comfort on several occasions. One case that sticks out in her memory is a request she received for a pet therapy visit from the family of a man who was in an unresponsive state. When they brought the dog in, the man opened his eyes for the first time and soon recovered and went home.
      “That family equated the dog with helping save his life and bringing him back,” Barrier said. “The connection between people and animals can be really healthy.”