Sit, stay, heal: Dr. Bulter and Asher’s story of service
At Good Samaritan, Adam Bulter, MD, General Surgery, holds several important roles: chief and medical director of surgery, trauma and elective general surgeon, and key member of the surgical critical care team. His impact is felt across the hospital. But one of his most heartwarming roles? Volunteering with his four-legged best friend, Asher.
When he’s not scrubbing into the OR, you might find Bulter walking the halls with his fluffy sidekick. Asher is a 4-year-old Samoyed and a proud member of Good Samaritan’s Caring Canine Program. Together, Bulter and Asher offer a unique kind of therapy that touches hearts and lifts spirits with surgical precision.
“Whenever he walks in the room, everybody just lights up,” Bulter said. “He brings a lot of joy and helps break up what can sometimes feel like a monotonous routine of being in a hospital.”
Asher, a rescue from Tampa, Fla., is more than just a friendly, fluffy face—he’s a natural healer. With his calm presence, gentle demeanor and irresistibly soft coat, Asher has a way of making people feel instantly at ease.
Therapy dogs like Asher play a meaningful role in the healing and recovery process for patients. Research shows that interactions with therapy animals can reduce stress and anxiety and lessen symptoms of depression. In a high-stress environment like a hospital, these benefits are invaluable not just for patients, but for their families and the caregivers who support them.
Bulter believes this emotional support is essential: “In medicine, we’ve really done a great job in the physical aspect of recovery from illness and injury, but we’ve fallen behind in the mental aspect. I truly believe that mental recovery leads to positive outcomes.”
The Caring Canine Program at Good Samaritan was created to bring comfort and connection through the loving presence of therapy dogs and their handlers. Once a thriving initiative with more than 40 dogs, the program was significantly impacted for several years by COVID-19 restrictions. Today the program has 12 dogs, including Asher. Bulter is passionate about rebuilding the program and encouraging others to get involved.
“We’re really focused on building the program back up,” he said. “It’s such a rewarding experience. It has low risk and really high reward,” he said.
Think you and your pup can emBARK on this path to provide comfort and support to patients, visitors and members of the Good Samaritan team? Please call the Volunteer office at 303-689-5800 or fill out this form, drop it by and we’ll get your furry friend to shake on it.