Meet Carilion Well-Being's Newest Team Member—Meadow!

If you’ve been lucky enough to encounter this beautiful girl with the heartfelt smile, then you’ve had the pleasure of meeting Meadow—our new (and fury!) addition to our Well-Being team. 

Meadow is Carilion’s newest facility dog who’s here to bring joy, calm, and a listening ear to you, our dedicated, hardworking staff. Whether you’re having a tough day or just need a little pick-me-up, Meadow is ready to lend her paw in support!

Who is Meadow? 

She’s a specially trained facility dog from Oxford Farm Kennels, LLC in Oxford, NC. With her calm demeanor, high tolerance, and good behavior, Meadow was handpicked for her role in supporting our teams. Thanks to Lottie Williams, head trainer and owner of Oxford Farm Kennels, all of Meadow’s care and training were donated—an expense that would normally cost at least 30k.  

“I’ve had experience breeding service dogs, but it’s been a dream to breed and train a facility dog that could be a partner in supporting others through therapy or in some type of professional environment,” says Lottie. “The opportunity to breed, train and ultimately provide a facility dog to a health system—especially one I have close ties to—was an added bonus and something I couldn’t pass up.” says Lottie, the daughter of Cindy Meadows, a chaplain at CRMH.

On the Job (in style!)

You’ll likely see Meadow walking alongside her handler and Director of Chaplaincy Andrew Tressler, greeting those in her path and anyone who stops to say “hi,” which is not surprisingly, a lot of folks! 

That’s ok because Meadow’s mission is to support employees during challenging moments like Code blue, Code lavender, staff loss, and everyday ups and downs. She even dons custom Fig scrubs—earning rave reviews from nearly everyone she meets—and will soon sport special patches to designate her official facility dog status.

A Full-time Teammate

Unlike therapy dogs (who max out at 2 hours a day), Meadow is a full-fledged member of the employee Well-being team, working a 40-hour week. She joins staff rounding, mingles at employee events, and is starting to travel to regional hospitals and Carilion facilities to spread her love. You’ll also find her at support groups focused on grief and healing, always ready to offer a wag or a nuzzle when needed.

Meadow is Carilion’s second facility dog. Wali, Carilion Children’s facility dog is the first. He’s task-oriented and assists in therapy sessions with children, while Meadow supports our teams. 

“We’re investing in the well-being of our employees,” says Andrew. “Healthcare is harder now. By having Meadow onboard, we’ve added another tool to our toolbelt.” 

To support all of us, Meadow needs special care, too. Andrew Tressler and his wife eagerly welcomed her into their home and family, where she quickly adapted and developed a close bond with their 9-year-old Australian Shepherd, Fitzroy.

The work of both Wali and Meadow is supported through guided donations in collaboration with the Carilion Foundation.

Why Meadow

With time limits on therapy dogs, Andrew saw the need for a facility dog that would have more availability and modeled a proposal after the successful program at Colorado Children’s. The ball really got rolling when Chaplain Cindy Meadows suggested Lottie and Oxford Farm would be a good match. 

Meadow is trained to be social, tolerant, and obedient, focusing on people—not just her handler. Her job isn’t just to be cute (though she’s very good at that); it’s to help build a space of listening, understanding, and connection for everyone she meets!

Just like any new employee, Meadow needed on-the-job training, too. Dogs learn differently; they take pictures of their specific experience and learn from that. Without the experience, they don’t have the picture in their mind to draw from and new sights and sounds can be scary. 

Andrew and Lottie described having to practice getting on and off the elevator with the other team members and the CT machine because the beeping and additional people in the small space frightened her at first. Of course she’s a quick study, so after a couple practice runs, Meadow was good to go! 

Delivering Smiles

Meadow has only been on staff a few months, but her presence and support are already impacting team members. Andrew recalls a time when he and Meadow responded to a call after a particularly difficult case. Upon seeing Meadow, the employee got down on the floor, petting her and willingly accepting her love and compassion when he needed it most.

“Dogs can help break down barriers in a way people can’t,” says Andrew. “It’s amazing to see what a 5-minute interaction with Meadow can do for someone. Her presence reminds staff it's ok to pause and care for themselves."  

What’s been most surprising about Meadow? “How long it takes us to get from place to place,” Andrew says laughing. “I definitely have to build in buffer time for all our stops along the way—something I wouldn’t have thought about before.” 

So, next time you see Meadow trotting through the halls—scrubs and all—give her a belly rub, a smile, or just a friendly hello! She’s here for you, making Carilion a warmer, more supportive place for everyone. Welcome to the team, Meadow!