Comfort can come in many different forms and for many patients, a visit from a furry friend can really brighten their day.

After working for 38 years as an emergency room doctor, Peter Beliveau decided to join the therapy dog program run by St. John Ambulance in Victoria. He missed being in the hospital and interacting with the patients, staff and colleagues. However, through the therapy dog program, he was able go back to the hospital and contribute in a different way.

“We use the dogs as a bridge to interact with people,” said Peter. “A lot of the people we visit are secluded or isolated and it’s a rewarding experience to watch how people open up when a dog is around. They always look forward to the next visit.”

Peter and his six-year-old golden doodle Mia have been volunteering with the therapy dog program for over a year and a half. Once a week, they visit the geriatric psychiatric ward at Royal Jubilee Hospital and the dementia ward at Oak Bay Lodge – one hour at each location.

“If I walk into the room by myself and say hello and try to interact with the patients, some are likely to walk away and keep to themselves. But when I walk into a room with Mia, it’s a different world. People are more relaxed and will reach down and pet Mia. Once that interaction starts, they start to open up to us. As I go back each week, I’m able to build on that relationship because of Mia.”

Liz Barlow is the program co-ordinator in Victoria has been involved in the therapy dog program for almost seven years, initially volunteering with the program in Kamloops. After moving to Victoria in 2013, she stepped in to take a leadership role of evaluating teams and organizing visits to different locations.

“Having worked in the mental-health field, I appreciated how a dog can lower stress and anxiety levels, and also help with depression and loneliness,” said Liz.

“A dog provides a conduit between people. For those who are anxious, shy or not very trusting of people, the focus is on the dog, not on the person with the dog. I’ve seen people begin socializing more and seen non-verbal people become verbal. It’s amazing work.”

Teams of a volunteer and their dog visit seniors in care homes, students at university campuses during exam time, and children at elementary schools or libraries where the kids can read to the dogs and their handler.

“We’re really open to working with any vulnerable population that is in a group setting,” Liz said. “Our goal is to provide a stress-free and trusting relationship between the dog and person.”

When the therapy dogs visit, it’s more than just the patients who benefit from their presence. The staff and visitors also enjoy seeing and petting the dogs. The dogs help to relieve the stress and anxiety of working and visiting in a demanding place.

The holidays can be a potentially lonely and stressful time for some people and sometimes all it takes is a visit with a dog to cheer someone up.

Quick Facts:

• St. John Ambulance has been running its volunteer therapy dog program in Canada for over 20 years.
• The program is funded directly through the St. John Ambulance product and training sales and donations.
• The mission of the St. John Ambulance therapy dog program is to create a ‘moment of joy in communities.’
• Communities throughout British Columbia and the rest of Canada establish local programs, setting up places to visit and evaluating teams of a dog and their owner.
  • Teams visit people of all ages in various settings depending on the size of the local program.
  • Therapy dogs are not service dogs, but they need to be able to socialize with people.
• The therapy dog program is an example of the growing field of animal-assisted therapy to help people recover from, or better cope with, their health problems such as heart disease, cancer and mental-health disorders.

Learn More:

If you would like to learn more about the therapy dog program at St. John Ambulance, please visit: www.sja.ca/English/Community-Services/Pages/Therapy%20Dog%20Services/default.aspx