When Dr. Susan Ryan posted this photo on social media of herself on a hospital floor with her service dog-in-training, Wynn, she says she felt physically drained and frayed emotionally.
“There was more fear and tension than an overwhelming number of patients,” said the emergency physician at Rose Medical Center in Denver. The image of the weary doc and her dog went viral, leading to mentions on the “Today” show and “Good Morning, America.”
Ryan has been training the 1-year-old Labrador for 11 months to be a service dog through Canine Companions for Independence, a not-for-profit that gives assistance dogs to people with disabilities. Many hospital staffers have requested time with Wynn, who will move on to receive advanced training in the next seven to eight months.
“It has taken me off guard that so many were touched, but at the same time, I certainly understand that people connected to the feeling that Wynn and I shared in the moment,” Ryan said.