By: Abby Walker, American Red Cross

As a physical therapist, Heather Agustines is dedicated to helping U.S. military members on Fort Wainwright manage their physical injuries. However, if you glance in the corner of her office, you might spot a four-legged friend, offering a different kind of healing to those who walk through her door.

That’s because in addition to her work as a therapist, Heather is a volunteer with the animal visitation program for the Red Cross of Alaska. Now, three days out of her work week, she has one of her Red Cross therapy dogs accompany her to work at the Kamish Soldier Centered Medical Home, creating a unique and heartwarming synergy between her volunteer work and her profession. Being able to merge these two areas of her life, Heather says, has been nothing short of magical.

“Sometimes people can be a little guarded coming in here because of the trauma they’ve had either emotionally or physically,” Heather said. “Having a dog in here just changes things. It takes the focus off me and off whatever the ailment is, and it puts the focus on their emotional response to the dog. There’s just something about the animals that grounds people and gives them a safe space to open up. It’s pretty magical.”

The journey to this now successful program started about two years ago, when Heather signed up to volunteer with the Red Cross of Alaska and her dog Ripley had just wrapped up training and certification to become a therapy dog.

“I just thought that it would be a great thing to give back to the community,” she said.

She started doing visitations as a Red Cross volunteer, but quickly thought about the active-duty medical home where she works, and the number of young soldiers who could benefit from the positive impact of a furry friend.

“We have a lot of soldiers who are very young, they live in the barracks, and they had to leave their beloved family pet,” Heather said. “I thought, what a great opportunity if I could be bringing the love of these animals in to these guys.”

That idea of what could be a great opportunity has now turned into a reality. Heather added a second dog to the team of humanitarians, named Jax, and with Bassett Army Community Hospital leadership’s support and approval, she was able to work with her therapy dogs to provide a more permanent presence within the clinic setting. They make frequent visits to the waiting areas in not just her physical therapy office, but to the main medical, dental, and behavioral health offices located within Kamish Soldier Centered Medical Home as well.

Jax, with his speckled coat, Red Cross vest, and calm demeanor, quickly became a favorite amongst the staff, according to Heather. “He’s the one that touches more people,” she said. “It’s just incredible. It’s like he was born for this.”

Whether it’s a sense of calm while recalling a stressful experience, or a gentle greeting that brings a smile while sitting in a waiting room, these four-legged Red Cross volunteers are making a real difference for U.S. service members on Fort Wainwright.

“I've had some patients who have been in accidents, military or personal, and it’s a lot on them. Often there's a need for the dog to come out and just give them something to ground them while they're talking to me about their trauma and what's happened,” Heather said.

In fact, Heather was receiving so many requests to visit with the therapy dogs that she recently was able to work with hospital leadership to approve a third day for visitation each week. When either Jax or Ripley accompany Heather to work, they also now have their own trading cards to distribute as they interact with people.

“I don’t have business cards, but my dogs do,” Heather said with a laugh.

But in all seriousness, watching these dogs serve has left a lasting impression on Heather as well. “Being able to walk through the waiting areas and just see people brighten, or the emotional response that people have in my office when there's a safe space and they touch the dog, and tears start rolling. It’s just incredible. And that's not something I can do for these people. It's truly the magic of the animal. I can't imagine not doing this.”