Pets

We understand that the thought of having surgery or an illness brings a lot of anxiety and stress. Pets are often a comfort and reassurance during stressful times. The threat of getting an infection from, or having an allergy to, a pet, however, can be life threatening to people who are already at a high risk. To help keep you and everyone else safe from harm, most animals are prohibited from entering any Asante building. Exceptions are made for therapy dogs and service animals.

• Therapy dogs have received certification and must be approved through Volunteer Services.
• Service animals are dogs individually trained to do a specific type of work or perform specific tasks for the benefit of persons with disabilities. Examples of such work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, or calming a person with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack.
• Because the safety of our patients, visitors and staff is our top priority, any animal that is out of control and not controlled by the handler, or any animal that is not housebroken, will be asked to be removed from the premises. 
  
  The risk for harm to patients in some areas of the hospital is still too great, so to help keep these vulnerable patients safe, even service animals are not allowed in these areas. Patient care areas where service dog access is restricted include:
• Critical care environments (intensive care units)
• Surgical services (operating rooms, pre/post surgery, endoscopy, post anesthesia recovery unit)
• Cardiovascular lab, infusion services, inpatient dialysis
• Isolation rooms

We care about your wellbeing and will do everything we can to ensure your comfort and peace of mind. Under the American Disability Act (ADA), emotional support animals do not qualify as service animals because they are not trained to do a certain type of work or perform specific tasks. Therefore, emotional support animals are prohibited from entering any Asante building.

Thank you for your patience and allowing us to care for you.