Robotic pets replacing therapy dogs at VA Butler Health care
“He's my buddy.”
That's what 84-year-old veteran Mike Bernat said about Skip, one of five robotic dogs and five robotic cats that are replacing live therapy dogs at the Sergeant Joseph George Kusick VA Community Living Center in Butler Township during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Before all of this, we had an extensive therapy pet program. When COVID-19 came, we couldn't do it any more,” said Alyssa Schmolly, a recreational therapist with VA Butler Healthcare at the facility.
She said certified therapy dogs used to visit veterans nearly everyday, including weekends and holidays, and veterans' family members used to visit before coronavirus restrictions prohibiting both kinds of visits were put in place in March.
“These dogs are trained to provide assistance for our population. They have to take extensive tests. They're amazing dogs,” Schmolly said.
After the restrictions were established, staff learned about the robotic pets, which are made by Joy for All. The $130 cost of each robotic pet is covered by donations that American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars posts and other veteran organizations make to the VA.
“It was better than we expected. The way they responded just blew us out of the water. I think it will continue even when dogs are allowed to return. Therapy dogs come and go, but they are more beneficial because they respond. We've had to make a lot of adaptions due to the restrictions. We just try to keep it like it was before,” Schmolly said.
Bernat, a U.S. Air Force veteran who served during the Vietnam War and is from North Apollo in Armstrong County, said he named his robotic dog after a dog he used to own.“He's a good little dog and I like him,” Bernat said.The robotic dogs do a pretty accurate simulation of live dogs.“They move very realistically. They bark at you. They respond to motion as well, If you walk past them they will bark at you. If you don't touch it for a while, it will make sounds like it's sleeping,” Schmolly said.That realism is needed.Schmolly said a robotic dog was the right medicine for a 100-year-old veteran patient who became upset when his son, who regularly visited, wasn't allowed to see him.“He just relaxed and it completely took his mind off everything that is going on. It has been a comfort to him,” she said.Another veteran who didn't speak often began chatting away after he was given a robotic dog.“He was talking and having conversations with people about his animal. It sparked something in him,” Schmolly said.So far, the robotic pets haven't had any mechanical problems. She said she replaced batteries for the first time Monday.
