Pet Assisted Wellness at Stanford (PAWS) is an animal visitation program for patients and families in the hospital. Our well-trained, carefully selected dogs visit patients who would enjoy a friendly companion. Different PAWS teams are scheduled each week to visit patients at the bedside by referrals, while others do group visits by the Nursing Patio as part of “Cuddlers for Caregivers”.
Note: Only service animals are allowed within Stanford Health Care, with exception of therapy animals registered through the PAWS program. Service animals are legally defined (Americans With Disabilities Act, 1990) and are trained to meet the disability-related needs of their handlers who have disabilities.