Animal Assisted Intervention
Meet Faith
Faith is an expertly trained Animal-Assisted Intervention (AAI) dog.
Faith works full-time on the Mary Free Bed Recreational Therapy team on our Grand Rapids Campus. Faith comes to Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital to restore hope and freedom through rehabilitation just like our humans do.
What Does it take to be an AAI Dog?
Being an AAI dog is hard work! It takes a lot of time and training. Before joining the Mary Free Bed team, our AAI dogs are trained at Paws With A Cause® for two years (that’s 14 in dog years!).
And humans need training, too! AAI therapy sessions are directed by a recreational therapist. Our ‘rec’ therapists receive intensive training to learn how to work with AAI dogs and best help Mary Free Bed patients.
Depending on your goals, Faith and our recreational therapists might also collaborate with a physical, occupational or speech therapist.
Benefits of Animal-Assisted Intervention
Faith is here to motivate patients to achieve specific rehabilitation goals during therapy sessions. They’re also experts in simulating pet care tasks. They help people practice caring for their pets when they return to their home and community. Patients see physical, emotional and cognitive benefits from working with our therapy dog.
Improvement in
Fine & gross motor skills
Decrease in
About Faith
Faith is a Golden Retriever who lives with her primary handler. She spends her free time visiting her family farmhouse in the country and playing fetch with a tennis ball.
- Favorite treat: Carrots (or any food, really!)
- Favorite game: “Spin the Bottle” rec therapy-style
- Favorite napping spot: nuggled up against her older doggie sister, Maggi
- Favorite thing to do off-duty: Visiting with her “auntie” (her primary handler’s sister) who lives next door
- What makes her happy: Completing 3 galloping spins before eating her meals
- Pet peeve: Getting groomed and people ignoring her when she wants to be pet
- Bedtime routine: Faith always gets one last treat before settling into bed at night.
Paws with a Cause®
Paws With A Cause (PAWS)® is a national non-profit organization based in Wayland, Michigan.
Faith spent two years of intense training to become a certified AAI dog. In 2024, our long-time therapy dog, Vandy, retired from the Grand Rapids Campus. She was the first-ever AAI dog trained by PAWS®.
What’s Happening at Mary Free Bed?
Ready to Get Started With Mary Free Bed?
Wherever you are in your journey, we’re ready when you are. Our team is here to listen, support and help guide your recovery. Whether you’re just starting out or picking up where you left off, we’re ready to support your goals—big and small.