Pet therapy program brings comfort, connection to Portland community
(left to right) Karel holding Elsa’s leash, Petra with Harry on her lap and Kelci kneeling with Elsa front and centre. –
Tanya Hammond/Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Pet therapy is now part of the weekly wellness offerings at Country Roads Community Health Centre. PAWS for A Break, held each Thursday at 11 a.m. in Portland, welcomes visitors to spend time with Elsa, a lovable golden retriever, and Harry, a laid-back terrier, who are both child-certified therapy dogs from Therapeutic PAWS of Canada (TPOC).
The program began when Rideau Lakes resident Karel Horemans, a Good Food Box volunteer and member of TPOC, reached out to Kelci Walker, CRCHC Community Engagement and Operations Coordinator, for the Friendly Visitor Program with Elsa, Kelci says. Then Kelci and Karel explored the idea of visiting with a group and created the new program PAWS for A Break for community members, recognizing the many benefits of pet therapy, including reduced stress, improved emotional well-being, better communication and even lower blood pressure.
Karel and his furry companion, Elsa, have provided community-wide visits since 2019 and are pleased to be the first team to welcome visitors at Country Roads Community Health Centre under the new PAWS for A Break program. They visit several locations throughout the week and now join CRCHC in Portland on Thursdays.
A visit from the friendly team of Karel and Elsa is the highlight of the day for many in the area. Karel retells the story of a recent visit to a senior who was so relieved to see the pair after a couple of weeks away, visiting an area nursing home, that the senior was moved to tears upon their return. Karel was adamant that Elsa knows the individuals she visits, saying it’s more than a visit for Elsa; she, like all her four-legged colleagues, is working from the time they enter the building until they receive the last pet or hug of the day.
Joining Karel and Elsa at CRCHC on Thursdays is Petra McIntyre, a Westport resident and caring TPOC volunteer since 2022, with Harry, her quiet West Highland White Terrier. Harry has been visiting health-care centres and hospitals since he was a wee pup at nine weeks old.
Typically, Petra says dogs aren’t allowed to participate in Therapeutic PAWS of Canada until they are one year old and have completed and passed the Good Canine program. Then there is multiple rigorous testing measures completed to ensure the safety of all involved.
A good temperament is only one requirement for dogs and their partners to meet the high standards for the therapy program. Harry has been part of the program, first with Petra’s sister until her health deteriorated due to illness and now with Petra after the loss of her sister. Petra says continuing visits with Harry is her way of giving back to the health-care system that assisted both her sister and mother during their time of need.
Harry, who is now six and a half years old, is also a court-certified therapy dog who can assist people with Petra’s presence under the Victim Witness Assistance Program. Being accompanied by a therapy pet such as Harry can make a substantial difference in the stress and anxiety experienced by a victim.
Karel, who belongs to the Brockville branch of TPOC, says they have approximately 16 teams available for pet therapy visits. Both Karel and Petra say the dogs have undergone rigorous training and assessments, including food temptations, loud-noise startles, simultaneous interactions with multiple people and animals, and monitored visits. Feedback from those who have visited the teams since the PAWS for A Break program launched has been all ‘pawsitive.’
Kelci is hopeful that the program will expand to include a 30-minute coffee-and-tea session after the 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. pet therapy drop-in. If the weekly gathering is anything like the recent community garden rejuvenation project that Kelci has taken the lead on, which added more gardens to the grounds and increased food donations to the food bank, PAWS for A Break will also be a success and a definite win for area residents!
To find out more about PAWS for A Break at CRCHC, contact Kelci at kwalker@crchc.on.ca, and to learn about Therapeutic PAWS of Canada, visit www.TPOC.ca.