Providing pet companionship to those in need

Through your donations, Delta Society received a $8,489 grant from the Give Where You Live Foundation to support the Therapy Dogs program. Delta Society are helping to improve the health and wellbeing and decrease social isolation of the elderly, the disabled and socially disadvantaged through the Delta Therapy Dogs program. The program uses the joy of animal companionship and benefits of animal therapy to those who need it most, spending time with patients, offering a chat, a floppy ear to listen and paw to shake.

Mary, a stroke survivor, approached the Delta Society wishing to find out if she could have her dog Teddy assessed to become a therapy dog as Teddy supported Mary through her own personal rehabilitation. Passing his assessment test with flying colours, Teddy (along with Mary) was eventually placed at genU where he now visits the facility weekly. Teddy has been bringing lots of joy and companionship to clients and to his owner Mary. Whenever Teddy and Mary Walk into a room there is a real buzz in the atmosphere with lots of laughter/fun which helps bring comfort for clients who are in a time of trouble.

For Delta Dogs volunteers such as Mary and her dog Teddy, seeing the change in a patient such as Jack provides proof of how effective pet therapy is.
Having speech impediments and major difficulties with movement, it was exciting for Mary to recently hear Jack ask “Where is the Dog?” and to have pushed himself physically to feed Teddy treats.