Allina Health celebrates five years of groundbreaking Emergency Management Services Therapy Dog Program
As Allina Health’s first EMS therapy dog, Evie’s job is stress management. First responders deal with immense stress daily, and research shows working with a certified therapy dog, such as Evie, boosts oxytocin levels and reduces stress.
“Evie is well loved. Just the sight of her can take the edge off a tough day,” said Kyle Strege, Allina Health EMS operations supervisor and Evie’s handler. “Many of our paramedics and EMTs choose to simply pet her or play a game of fetch. She helps them to decompress and release some of the hardships from the day.”
Allina Health began the EMS Therapy Dog Program in 2019 to support the mental health and well-being of Allina Health EMS personnel. Evie is believed to be the first EMS therapy dog in Minnesota. Because of her success, the program added two more dogs: Bodhi and Westin. The therapy dogs and their handlers have traveled the states of Minnesota and Wisconsin explaining and demonstrating the benefits and structure of the program. As a result, other EMS agencies have also started their own therapy dog programs.