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New Hospital Infection Control Guidelines Recommend Single-Use Therapy Dogs

Writer's picture: Zoo KnudsenZoo Knudsen

Updated: Dec 9, 2024

Arlington, VA- The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) has issued a new set of guidelines for the prevention of hospital acquired-infections that includes the recommendation that all hospitals transition to single-use therapy dogs by 2030.


Single-use therapy dog and good boy, Thomas Cavendish, shown here mere moments before being incinerated to reduce hospital infection rates and methane emissions
Single-use therapy dog and good boy, Thomas Cavendish, shown here mere moments before being incinerated to reduce hospital infection rates and methane emissions

"The IDSA understands and appreciates the joy that a visit from a therapy dog can bring to a hospitalized patient," IDSA President Steven Schmitt, MD explained. "Our new guidelines allow for both high quality infection control and snuggling with an adorable canine companion. In fact, that's one of our core values."


While the majority of American hospitals do not currently use disposable therapy dogs, some have been stocking them for years. Mort Fishman MD, Chief of Infection Control and Prevention at Our Lady of the Bloated Coffers Regional Medical Center in Lafayette, Louisiana, initiated a move to single-use dogs in 2022. "It cost us $73 million to expand storage and upgrade disposal capabilities, but it was worth it after that unfortunate autoclave incident."


Some critics of the program are citing environmental concerns. According to Fishman, single-use therapy dogs do increase a hospital's carbon footprint. "As with most problems, however, finding a compromise is important. If desired, patients can opt out of the single-use program and snuggle with our multi-use dog Chet as long as they sign a waiver. But he's a farter."

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