Huggie The Dog Helps Pediatric Patients At UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — The UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center has a new four-legged friend helping pediatric patients.

Huggie the dog is the first ever "facility dog" at UC Davis. The two-year-old Labrador Retriever supports children undergoing treatments in the pediatric infusion center by reducing any fear, stress, anxiety, or pain they may be feeling.

Anna Stark's son is undergoing treatment at the hospital.

"I think the special thing about Huggie is that all these kids here are patients, and Huggie is so patient and so kind, that he allows all the kids to be kind of like the doctors and Huggie is the patient for them to take care of," Stark said.

Huggie went through 24 months of training before reporting for duty at the hospital. In his training, he mastered more than 40 commands.