The St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program was originally created to provide service to persons isolated from the community due to physical or psychological disabilities. It was the belief of the St. John Ambulance that anyone anywhere would benefit through regular interaction with the unconditional love of a dog.

Working through the community-based units across Canada, St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program began in Peterborough, Ontario in 1992 and has expanded across Ontario and now stretches coast to coast.

Last year in the City of Toronto alone, over 240 volunteers contributed over 14, 000 hours to the program. These volunteers visit weekly at over 130 facilities including hospitals, special needs schools, palliative care units, day care centres, senior's residences and rest homes.

A St. John certified evaluator, who is experienced and has attended seminars to ensure uniformity in testing, will evaluate the dog for suitable temperament. Dogs must be over one year of age and be current with vaccines to be tested. This specialized test has been developed over the past four years, and is not like an obedience trial. After evaluation and acceptance, the volunteer team (dog and owner) is oriented with the help of their local St. John Coordinator, to the facility at which they will visit. After they have completed at least ten visits, the dog is certified as a member of the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program.

A Therapy program volunteer and his/her dog visit the same facility on a weekly basis creating a bond between the patient and the dog and also with the visiting volunteer. "I find this work most rewarding. We have seen patients who have shut the world out and not spoken a word to anyone for months open up and start communicating with our therapy dogs, it is amazing" explains Sondra Holgate, Area Therapy Dog Coordinator (Toronto). In her years of Therapy Dog service, Mrs. Holgate has seen many miracles in the making and finds each one to be a special gift that can only be given by these remarkable canines.

Therapy Dogs are needed in North York for several facilities so if you are interested in this program, please call Mrs. Sondra Holgate at 757-0385 or e-mail her at kathalson@sympatico.ca

St. John Ambulance provides liability coverage for the volunteer when visiting.