Therapy Dogs

York Region Therapy Dog Divisions (D1070, D1138, D1139, D1149)

The St. John Ambulance York Region Therapy Dog divisions have a membership of approximately 165 volunteers with about 150 dogs who visit over 50 facilities each week in York Region.

The sight of these well-trained, impeccably groomed volunteers trotting from room to room on their duty rounds is increasingly common throughout the Region's hospitals, hospices, nursing and retirement residences, schools and other health care facilities. Nationwide, there are well over a thousand such dogs, each rigorously tested and screened for reliable temperament and manner. By the end of the year, the 165 plus volunteers are expected to record about 10,000 hours of volunteer work.

The handlers wear a white golf shirt with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog logo on it. They also wear black pants/skirt and black shoes. In addition they wear a photo id. This makes them easily identifiable by both the residents and the staff, and also gives the residents' confidence to know that the person entering their home and life, belongs to an organization with which they are familiar and are not just anyone walking in off the street.

What exactly do these dogs do? Just what they have been doing for centuries - offering unconditional love, respect and friendship. Undeterred by human illness, handicap or disfigurement, confusion or tears, with no prejudice against creed, colour, religion or politics, our Therapy Dogs calm the anxious, cheer the lonely, distract the pain-ridden and comfort the despondent. They can coax a smile with the light in their eyes and rekindle happy memories with the wag of a tail; stroking the dog can lower blood pressure, and seeing a dog thread its way through a corridor full of gurneys, drip poles, walkers and wheelchairs can restore a sense of balance, of life outside the high tech walls of modern medicine. In a health care environment where patient contact time is being squeezed as never before by economic constraints, the Therapy Dogs offer the invaluable gift of companionship.

Believing that anticipation of these visits is part of their value, the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog team keeps to a regular schedule, with the same dog and handler visiting the same location at the same time each week. In some cases, they make their rounds with staff members to help accomplish specific, pre-determined therapeutic goals.

Most Therapy Dogs know a few tricks or simple commands to liven up a visit, but the real work they do is far more subtle and far more precious. Watch a Therapy Dog calm a confused resident, see the expression of joy on many faces as they greet "their dog" on a regular basis; (sometimes this may be the only outside visitor they see), and you will soon understand the contribution these very special canine "volunteers" make.

Wherever they go, the York Region Therapy Dog team helps fulfill the St. John Ambulance pledge:

"We are there to care."

Common Questions......

What about health considerations and hygiene? In addition to being extensively tested by St. John Ambulance evaluators to ensure the dogs have reliable temperament and training to remain calm under stressful conditions, Therapy Dogs must be annually certified by their veterinarians as being up-to-date on all inoculations and preventative medications, and parasite-free. The dogs are thoroughly groomed before each visit and handlers also follow standard infection control measures appropriate to the population being visited.

What about insurance in the event of accidental injury? The Therapy Dog team comes under the same extensive insurance coverage that St. John Ambulance provides to all its members. Each dog and handler is covered by St. John Ambulance liability insurance every time it goes on duty.

To whom do these dogs belong? The owners of our Therapy Dogs take them on their visits. Therapy Dogs are family pets, accustomed to sharing in family life and giving and receiving lots of attention. Our dogs are of a variety of breeds, from the very large to the very small, pure breeds and mix breeds as well. All have plenty of love to share.

How many people do they see in a visit? Depending on the assignment, anywhere between five and thirty or more patients/residents, not to mention visitors and staff. Visits typically last about an hour, and may take place both in small groups and as one-on-one in the patients' rooms.

How long has this been going on? The roots of pet facilitated therapy run deep. The ancient Greeks gave horseback rides to raise spirits of people who were incurably ill. Monasteries in 17th century England used pets to calm the mentally ill. Florence Nightingale was a keen proponent - and after World War II, many Veterans' hospitals used pet facilitated therapy to help treat combat fatigue - known today as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Organizations offering pet facilitated therapy visits began appearing in the early 1970's in both the United Kingdom and the United States. The service has quickly spread to many parts of the world.

St. John Ambulance started its Therapy Dog program in Canada in 1992, and has seen rapid growth in the number of teams and facilities.

How do facilities arrange for visits from the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs? The best way is to contact the local St. John Ambulance Branch Office and indicate your interest in the program. A Therapy Dog Co-coordinator will get back to you with more information and indicate when a Therapy Dog Team would be available to start visiting the facility.

Becoming a York Region Therapy Dog Volunteer

To be eligible to participate in our program, all volunteers must attend a Pre-Evaluation seminar. At this session, you will find out about the commitments to the program and also be required to fill out an application form to join St. John Ambulance. Visiting rules are discussed and requirements to maintain membership in the organization. Three personal non-relative references are needed as well as application for a criminal records check. Currently York Region residents pay a fee of $15.00 for this check. Forms are also completed for photo id's, one for you and one for your dog.

Then, your dog must pass the required evaluation. If possible, evaluations are scheduled at this time. Basic obedience is essential but the emphasis is on your dog's temperament. St. John Ambulance is dedicated to ensuring the protection of the sick and elderly that we visit. Our certified Evaluators have extensive experience with dogs and are specifically trained to recognize unsatisfactory traits in temperament that usually are not noticeable to the average dog owner. Our tests are a screening process based on real life situations that visiting dogs would encounter. Evaluation sessions are currently held two or three times yearly.

On successful completion of the evaluation, your first visit (without your dog) will be with another volunteer and their dog. The next three visits will be with the volunteer and your dog. This is to ensure that you and your dog are comfortable with the program. The visitations are designed to match volunteer's and their dog's individual needs and preferences.

After the completion of ten visits, you are given your white golf shirt with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog logo, your photo id and your dog receives a tag with the same logo and a photo id. Your dog also receives a certificate indicating that he has successfully completed ten visits.

Your commitment to the program is to complete one regular visit each week in accordance with the visiting rules and record your volunteer hours and dog visits. (There is an allowance for grooming and travel time.) To sustain membership, a total of sixty volunteer hours per year are required.

As a member of St. John Ambulance you will receive recognition and awards for different levels of your volunteer time and your dog's visits.

Evaluation Day

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES will your dog be evaluated unless you bring a current rabies certificate and up-to-date vaccinations for distemper, hepatitis, Para-influenza and parvovirus. These are kept on our files. Copies are acceptable.

The evaluation is comprised of thirteen tests, in a relaxed setting, each one will be fully explained beforehand by the Evaluator.

Remember, both you and your dog are under observation at all times once you enter the facility. How you handle your dog, the dog's attitude and behavior with other dogs are watched closely. If at any time during the evaluation process your dog relieves itself inside the facility, that is an automatic disqualification. This also applies to dogs that growl or show aggression.

All dogs must have a flat leather/nylon buckle type collar or harness. Leads must be nylon or leather, 4' or 6'. No dog will be tested wearing a Promise type, halter type, chain, pinch type or choke type collar. No flex-leads and no chain leads are acceptable.

Both dog and handler must present an acceptable image, neat appearance, clean and well groomed.

In any of the scenarios, any shyness, aggression or over exuberance, is a disqualifier.

The tests are designed to ensure that you and your dog would be comfortable and happy in the Therapy Dog program and the visiting environment. Some people discover that their dog is better suited to the home environment - and that's OK. Not all dogs can be Therapy Dogs.

On successful completion of the evaluation, you will complete the photo id process. It will take us a few weeks to process your application. Your very first visit will be with an experienced volunteer and their dog. Then you will visit two or three more times with that volunteer and your dog. After ten visits, if everything is working well, then your dog receives a Therapy Dog tag, his/her photo id and a certificate, and you receive a white golf shirt with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog logo and your photo id.

How do I join? Call the St. John Ambulance York Region Branch at 905.773.3394 or 1.800.268.1677 or email us at: training@sja-yorkregion.org and indicate your interest to join the Therapy Dog Program. Once you qualify for the program you will become a member of St. John Ambulance and get your free shirt and tag for your dog - and lots of satisfaction!