Mayo Clinic 2010 Annual Report
Dr. Jack, The Helping Dog
He's a real therapy dog, a Beanie Baby®, a character in a children's book
Children nervous about seeing a doctor? Or afraid of hospitals? Perhaps Dr. Jack, the helping dog, can quell their fears — or speed them on the road to recovery. Dr. Jack is a real-life Mayo Clinic canine, Beanie Baby®, and the hero of a popular book, Let's Visit Mayo Clinic with Dr. Jack the Helping Dog.
A charming and friendly miniature pinscher who works as a service dog at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Dr. Jack has helped more than 2,000 patients with physical activity, rehabilitation and speech therapy. He sees about 15 patients a day when he's on the job. With his floppy ears and soft, brown fur, Dr. Jack is a hands-down favorite.
Let's Visit Mayo Clinic with Dr. Jack the Helping Dog was published in May and is in its third printing. In the book, Dr. Jack takes a young boy on an amazing journey to understand what Mayo Clinic is all about. They ride on a helicopter, visit every Mayo campus and even go back in time to meet the Mayo Brothers. The hardcover book has received extensive international publicity, especially in Central and South America. It includes a foreword by Barbara Bush, a biography of the real Dr. Jack and an essay on the healing dimension of pets.
Dr. Jack the Beanie Baby® is a gift from Ty Warner, founder of Ty, Inc., the world leader in plush toys. After reading the book, Warner offered to have his team create a custom-designed version of Dr. Jack — complete with a red service vest and Mayo Clinic logo on his dog tag.
Dr. Jack joins a famous collection of cause-related Beanie Babies®, which have raised millions of dollars for diverse charities. Proceeds from the sale of the book and the Dr. Jack Beanie Baby® will support Mayo Clinic's not-for-profit programs in patient care, research and education.