Toddler's best friend

ST. PETERSBURG - They say a dog is man's best friend, but in the hospital, it's the children who can't wait to make friends with the dogs.

Pet therapy is part of the healing process at All Children's Hospital in St. Pete.

Felicia Whittington is 11 years old, and has been waiting for her special visitor, a greater Swiss mountain dog named Brew.

"Makes me feel happy," Felicia says.

The therapy dog makes her time here a little easier.

"Like for them, bringing the dogs in, and to help the kids feel better. And make them forget all about all the bad stuff by erasing their bad memories with good dog memories," Felicia says.

Brew has a lot of friends to visit at All Children's.

"The dog was allowed to come into my room, 'cause I was on the cancer floor, and the dog jumped in the bed with me and did some tricks and stuff, and it was really cool," says patient Makayla Muir.

Makayla says this is the next best thing to playing with her own pets at home.

"They just like making anyone's day. They don't judge for whatever you look like, what you are going through. They just care about spending time with you and helping you feel better," said Kelly Barmore, a child life specialist and pet therapy coordinator.

Barmore says the dogs make a huge impact.

"You see it from young children to older children. If they're having a poor day or a sad day, eyes light up and they smile," Kelly says.

Brew is the largest of 12 certified therapy dogs who make the rounds here and the Tampa outreach clinic.

"It helps. It brings not just my stress down -- I'm happy and it's just something I look forward to when I'm here instead of getting out of here," says patient Mike Gallaher.

Dogs like brew are brought into the hospital by their owners and taken by escort to patients approved for pet visits.

"It makes them relax more...takes the pain away," says Laura Willis, Mike's mom.

The canines provide comfort for parents and kids, and bring a sense of home and love they need while they're here.

"Cause it makes me not miss my dogs as much," Felicia says.

All therapy dogs have to be a year old, and have six month's experience. Some of the other pet therapy dogs include a poodle, a Springer spanier and a five-pound micro schnauzer.