Biscuit deployed as facility dog at Walter Reed, receives honorary Marine Corps Corporal designation
His name isn’t Biscuit anymore. It’s U.S. Marine Corps Corporal Biscuit. Or Cpl. Biscuit, for short. Photo courtesy of @capitals
Wednesday, the Wahington Capitals professional Ice Hockey team announced that their precious team pup, Biscuit, was formally placed as a facility dog at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
ARLINGTON, VA –- Washington Capitals‘ and America’s VetDogs’ service-dog-in-training, Biscuit, graduated training and is now formally deployed as a Facility Dog at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. Biscuit received the honorary title, U.S. Marine Corps Corporal, during an enlistment ceremony at the medical center on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Walter Reed patients and staff attended the ceremony where Biscuit was presented to the facility by his America’s VetDogs puppy raiser and retired U.S. Air Force Master Sergeant Deana Stone. Capitals players Nic Dowd and Beck Malenstyn joined Walter Reed National Military Medical Center director U.S. Navy Captain Melissa Austin in presenting Biscuit with his honorary USMC Corporal rank. Following the ceremony, Capitals players and Biscuit spent time with patients.
Biscuit became the 7th facility dog at Walter Reed. He now shares this role with Sully H.W. Bush, a fellow facility dog who also served as a service dog to President George H.W. Bush. Facility dogs are initially bred and trained as service dogs for disabled individuals. However, some of these dogs undergo a “career change” and are trained in Animal Assisted Therapy skills, becoming military hospital facility dogs at Walter Reed. The Walter Reed Facility Dog program aims to deliver interactive care to patients and staff through creative Animal Assisted Interventions. The mission is to alleviate stress and enhance the overall well-being of both patients and staff.
Collectively, Walter Reed facility dogs average 2,500 contacts and more than 200 working hours monthly. Through program monitoring and tracking, Walter Reed determined that for every hour that a facility dog and their trained handler work, they can create a positive patient experience for an average of 12 patients and their family members.
As a facility dog, Biscuit will frequently visit patients and staff in the inpatient and outpatient areas at Walter Reed. He will also visit Inpatient Behavioral Health patients and provide support for the Brain Fitness Clinic. In addition, Biscuit will provide support for the Military Advanced Training Center (MATC) Occupational and Physical Therapy Clinics. Facility dogs are also part of special events, military ceremonies, holiday events, Wounded Warrior adaptive sports events, and more.
Biscuit became part of the Capitals team in September 2021 as a 9-week-old chocolate Labrador. He underwent basic training and socialization with the Capitals. The Capitals hosted Biscuit in the front office, at community events, practices, and select home games to assist in raising Biscuit to be a confident and calm future facility dog. Following his puppy raising, Biscuit returned to the America’s VetDogs campus in Smithtown, NY, to receive his formal service dog training with a Certified Service Dog Instructor.
Biscuit is the second dog the Capitals and America’s VetDogs partnered to raise and train. In June of 2021, Capitals and America’s VetDogs service dog in training Captain completed training and was placed with retired U.S. Marine Corps Master Sgt. Mark Gwathmey.
Since 2003, America’s VetDogs (www.VetDogs.org) has trained and placed guide and service dogs to provide independence, enhanced mobility, and companionship to veterans with disabilities from all eras. In 2015, VetDogs opened its programs to first responders, including fire, police, and emergency medical personnel. America’s VetDogs is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization founded by the Guide Dog Foundation and serves clients across the United States. VetDogs relies on contributions from generous individuals, corporations, service clubs, and foundations to fund its mission to help those who have served our country live with dignity and independence. It costs over $50,000 to breed, raise, train, and place one assistance dog, but America’s VetDogs provides its services completely free of charge to the individual. America’s VetDogs has been accredited by both the International Guide Dog Federation and Assistance Dogs International.
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