Paws & Play is the facility dog program at Mount Sinai Hospital. Professor and Summer, our beloved facility dogs, are full-time “employees” in the Child Life and Creative Arts Therapy Department. This program pairs Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) with the skills of Certified Child Life Specialists and Licensed Creative Arts Therapists to provide therapeutic interventions for patients, families, staff, faculty and trainees. Research has shown that AAT and facility dogs increase positive behaviors, reduce experiences of pain, lower blood pressure, and decrease experiences of depression and fatigue. Just as important, AAT has also proven to reduce patient anxiety during medical appointments, decrease feelings of isolation and provide opportunities for increased social support. This program is supported by the generosity of our donors. We thank you for your contributions. Without your support, this program would not be possible.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some answers to questions we often hear about Paws & Play.

What is a facility dog?

A facility dog is an animal specially trained to work in the health care environment. Professor and Summer were trained as medical service dogs at Canine Assistants in Milton, Georgia, where they were exposed to a variety of environments and experiences to prepare them to work with the children, families, staff, faculty and trainees at our hospital.

How is this program special?

Certified Child Life Specialists and Licensed Creative Arts Therapists incorporate Professor and Summer into therapeutic treatment plans using AAT to address the clinical needs of our pediatric patients. AAT is a goal-directed intervention that incorporates the animal into the treatment process. 

The “Paws & Play Care for Clinical Teams” is an innovative program which aims to provide well-being and resilience opportunities for staff, faculty, and trainees in the hospital’s adult areas. Our mission is dedicated to reducing burnout, stress, and depression in the workplace and to positively impact patient care. Stay tuned for updates on our newest “Care for Clinical Teams” dog dyad, coming this year!

Where do Professor and Summer work?

Professor works with his clinical handlers on the inpatient pediatric hematology/oncology unit, at the outpatient pediatric hematology/oncology clinic, in the Child Life Zone and in the radiology department. Summer, our newest facility dog, joined our team in July 2024 and is based in the inpatient pediatric medical surgical units and pediatric intensive care units. Professor and Summer are full-time facility dogs who each spend 40 hours per week at the hospital, based on their handler’s schedule.

Can families request to meet Professor and Summer?

Yes. If your child is having a difficult time coping with the hospital environment, is experiencing significant pain or needs more motivation to achieve clinical goals, you can contact your child life specialist to request an animal assisted therapy session.

How did Professor and Summer get their names? What is their breed?

Professor, a golden doodle, is named after Professor Bunsen Honeydew from the Muppets. Summer, a golden/lab mix, is named after the character Summer Higgins from the hit TV show, Yellowstone.

Where do Professor and Summer live?

Professor lives with his primary handler, Ali Spikestein. Professor enjoys long walks in the park, playing with his favorite toys and getting cozy on the couch. Summer lives with her primary handler, Bethany Pincus. Summer enjoys playing with toys, getting a lot of pets and spending time outside in summer, the season!

Mount Sinai pediatric facility dog, Amos, retired in March 2024 after almost eight years of service providing more than 12,000 Animal Assisted Therapy sessions to children, families and Mount Sinai staff. Paws & Play: Care for Clinical Teams facility dog, Moby, retired in December 2024. Moby provided over six years of service to the Mount Sinai Community working across the health system promoting resilience and well being among staff, faculty, and trainees. Good boys, Amos and Moby!

How do I get more information about the Paws & Play Program?

For more information about our pediatric Paws & Play program, please contact Ali Spikestein at Ali.Spikestein@mountsinai.org.

Follow Professor and Summer on Instagram for the latest updates @MountSinai_PawsandPlay

Read about the recent work of our facility dogs in the latest issue of the Discover, the department’s quarterly newsletter.