Caring Canine

 

Toronto Therapy Dogs

 

Home
Photos/Videos
News
Programs
To Donate
To Volunteer
Contact Us

 

 

Who are We and What do We Do?

 

We are a non-profit organization run entirely by volunteers, and funded with volunteers’ membership fees and community donations.  We offer free animal assisted therapy (AAT) and animal assisted activity (AAA) (also called pet therapy or dog therapy) to the Toronto communities. Our activities are covered by 2-million-dollar liability insurance.

 

Our Professor Dogs (therapy dogs) read with students/children with various needs or challenges to promote healthy self-concept, literacy, empathy, and/or social skills.  Our Doctor Dogs spend quality one-on-one time with residents in long-term care facilities, patients, and their families.  We collaborate with community partners (e.g. schools, etc.) and also run programs of our own.  Please scratch here for more details…

 

In addition, we actively promote the benefits of AAT/AAA through the CACAP/AACAP international conference, City Pulse, The Canadian Press, The Globe & Mail, TVOntario, TFO, Animal Wellness Magazine, Yahoo Video News, The Chronicle Herald, and The Calgary Sun, etc.  Further, we participated in a research on pet-therapy conducted by the Ontario Veterinary College. Lastly, our online photo/video albums have accumulated over 200,000 views.

 

 

Our Dr. Dogs, Professor Dogs, and Volunteers

 

Our members include working professionals, retired seniors, students, and homemakers.  They are compassionate, responsible, and committed.  Family volunteer teams (e.g. husband and wife) spend quality time with their dogs through this volunteer work.

 

Our therapy-dog volunteers are healthy, have TB clearance, and police-check (vulnerable-sector) clearance.  Please scratch here for details… Our professional photographers volunteer to capture great memories for our clients while administrative volunteers provide vital backend support.

Our Doctor Dogs and Professor Dogs are healthy and updated on vaccinations & parasite-control.  Please scratch here for details…  We thank Dr. Sandra Lefebvre from the Ontario Veterinary College, for her advice on infection-control issues.

 

All Doctor Dogs and Professor Dogs have passed a thorough evaluation.  They have a friendly temperament, are well socialized, and have mastered basic obedience.  Please scratch here for details…   

 

 

Recognition, Training, & Support

 

Every year, we nominate our dedicated volunteers for the Ontario Volunteer Service Awards.  Past winners include therapy-dog volunteers, photographers, and children who assist at our therapy-dog evaluations.

 

In addition, all volunteers are candidates of our Doctor-Dog-Of-the-Year Award.

 

At the end of every year, our Professor Dogs present their students with a new hardcover book and a certificate of excellence.  We thank our sponsors for their generous support.

We believe that our clients provide our volunteers and therapy dogs with the best training.

 

At our therapy-dog evaluations, our evaluators provide participants with diagnostic feedback and training tips.  Most candidates invited to return would qualify at the second attempt. 

 

New volunteers could shadow an experienced volunteer, or an experienced volunteer would mentor them on their initial visits.  Further, we provide our volunteers with guidelines and training materials.

 

 

Our Mandates

 

To promote positive self-concept, emotional health, and literacy through our Doctor/Professor dogs.

 

To promote animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activities.

 

To promote responsible volunteering and teamwork.

 

To promote good health for our Doctor/Professor dogs.

 

 

 

Home
Photos/Videos
News
Programs
To Donate
To Volunteer
Contact Us

 

 

 

Disclaimer: The views expressed on our website are not influenced in any way by our sponsors.

Last updated: 01-2012