Meet Harrison, Stamford Health's Therapy Dog

Program Type:

Community, Health & Wellness

Age Group:

Teens (grades 6-12), Parents, Families, Adults
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Event Details

Dr. Kathie Nurena will introduce Harrison, Stamford Health's first-ever facility therapy dog. They will demonstrate behaviors he has been trained to perform as part of animal-assisted therapy.

To ensure that audience members and Harrison have a safe and positive experience, please comply with the following guidelines:

  • Be respectful at all times to handlers and Harrison.
  • Do not pet or approach Harrison without explicit permission by a handler.
  • Do not offer of food of any kind.
  • Audience members should not bring their own pets unless it is a service/therapy animal. If you bring a service/therapy animal, do not allow your pet to approach Harrison,
  • Do not attempt to catch Harrison’s attention by giving commands, making noises, whistling or clapping.

Families, teens and adults.

Registration required.

Presented in partnership with Stamford Health.

Dr. Kathie Nurena is the medical director for the Stamford Hospital Facility Dog program, where she helps oversee Harrison’s training and assure that his needs are being considered as he works throughout the organization.

Dr. Nurena earned her medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. She completed her family medicine residency at Stamford Hospital and currently serves on the faculty at the residency training program. She enjoys mentoring residents in scholarly activity projects and oversees the medical student experiences in the family medicine residency.

Dr. Nurena is also a certified dog trainer through Karen Pryor Academy (KPA-CTP) and a certified nosework instructor (CNWI). She has three dogs and has competed in dog agility and canine nosework with them, earning national titles.

By merging her medical background and animal training interest, Dr. Nurena speaks at conferences on the intersection of health and behavior with humans and animals. She has spoken at several national animal training conferences with a veterinary colleague as co-presenter. She has been a guest on podcasts for Michael Shikashio and for Animal Training Academy.