Biscuit the Therapy Dog
By Joy and Brian Pape
BISCUIT AND CARLY waiting out in the cold and rain for their Village View Interview at Lenox Health Greenwich Village (LHGV). Photo by Brian J. Pape, AIA.
Lenox Health Greenwich Village (LHGV) offers pet therapy to their patients and staff. We reached out to Emma Catizone, LCSW, director of operations, also known as a “passionate patient care administrator.”
Emma told us “I was a horse therapy instructor for many years and it is always something that I like to incorporate for front line team members and patients. Here at LHGV there have been supporters throughout the years but last year for Nurses Week we specifically wanted to support our team members with pet therapy and we have been trying to ensure we have visits more regularly.
“Pet therapy offers significant benefits in the emergency room setting, providing comfort and stress relief to both patients and ER providers. For patients, it helps alleviate pain and anxiety, while for staff, it reduces burnout and promotes a more positive work environment. It’s a gentle, yet powerful way to enhance care and support our dedicated healthcare team. It always brings smiles to our faces!”
Emma introduced us to Carly Blake, the pet mother of Biscuit, a therapy dog. They volunteer at LHGV where we met for a delightful visit. Here’s what we learned about Carly and Biscuit.
BISCUIT BEING INTUITIVE to us during the interview at LHGV. Photo by Brian J. Pape, AIA.
Is Biscuit your first dog?
Yes, I have always had Shih Tzus in the family but he is my first dog of my own.
Why did you choose Biscuit?
I decided to get Biscuit during COVID because I had been laid off by my job. I work in event marketing and, obviously, nothing was going on during COVID. So I decided I finally had the time to dedicate to getting a puppy.
How old was Biscuit when you got him?
Ten weeks old. He’s four years old now and will turn five in May.
Why did you name him Biscuit?
I always wanted a Shih Tzu named Biscuit. There is a book series called The Adventures of Biscuit that inspired me.
What prompted you to look into Biscuit being a therapy dog?
I had done some volunteering when I worked in Chicago at PAWS, a no kill animal shelter. Then, when I moved to New York, I didn’t have a dog to get my dog time and I missed volunteering. Once I got Biscuit, I wanted to find something we could do together. I had realized that Biscuit really loved people. He would always just sit on the bench with people at the dog park rather than play with the dogs. He is really good at making people feel happy. I knew about therapy dogs. I did some research and found the Good Dog Foundation which was near where I lived at the time.
What did it take for him to become a therapy dog?
He was in a program for a couple hours a night for a month at The Good Dog Foundation.
How often does Biscuit work at Lenox Health?
He has been to Lenox Health a handful of times. He also goes to Alzheimer’s facilities and a facility on the Upper West Side that provides housing for college students.
What does Biscuit do?
If the patients allow, he spends time with them and they can hold, pet, or feed him treats and watch him do tricks. He also spends time with the staff to brighten their day after long shifts.
How do the staff and patients respond to Biscuit?
People love to see Biscuit. They often tell us “I wasn’t feeling well but he made me feel better!”
Where are Biscuit’s favorite places?
Outside of his therapy visits, he likes to go to dog parks. We go to Washington Square Park dog runs and The Hudson River Park’s Gansevoort Peninsula Dog Park where he sits on the bench, visits with people and people watches. He also likes Starbucks on the corner of 13th Street and 8th Avenue for Pup Cups.
How does Biscuit get along with other dogs?
Very well, he loves wrestling with his best friend Theo at my apartment.
What are Biscuit’s favorite foods?
Biscuit is very food motivated. He loves any type of food. His favorite by far is cheese!
Is there anything Biscuit doesn’t like?
He doesn’t like the rain and getting wet.
What stands out most about Biscuit?
Biscuit is very intuitive. He knows when people need cheering up, can anticipate emotions and knows how to respond. He is never in a bad mood! He is always there to love and play. I call him my soul dog because he truly does connect with me on a deeper level.
Learn more — The Good Dog Foundation
