Therapy dogs helping the vulnerable in Pretoria
“If you have a well-behaved, loving, people-friendly dog, and you would like to help people, this might be for you.
On Wednesday, a group of animal-loving women belonging to the NPO TOP Dogs donated a big basket of homemade biscuits to the nurses and patients of the Life Wilgers Hospital Covid-19 ward.
The group also paid a visit to Life Groenkloof Hospital, where they were profusely thanked for their contribution to the city’s vulnerable groups.
Touch Our Pets – Therapy Dogs – known as TOP Dogs – was started by eight dedicated therapy dog handlers and their pets, in August 2008. Their motto and aim every day is to ‘spread smiles for miles’.
TOP Dogs area co-ordinator Alta Rossouw told Rekord that the organisation aims to help people who have sustained tremendous trauma, are frail, elderly, terminally ill or disabled, and have experienced great success with their therapy dogs.
“I can’t explain to you how rewarding it is to see a sick child or frail patient have their eyes lit up and sparkle when our therapy dogs enter their rooms. Of course, Covid has made this type of therapy much more challenging, but we are slowly but surely getting back into the swing of things. Pretoria boasts 58 therapy dogs at the moment,” Rossouw said.
Rossouw said that TOP Dogs therapy dogs are usually used in retirement facilities, rehabilitation centres, hospitals, recovery centres, frail care centres, children’s homes, homeless shelters, hospices and even high-stress organisations.
“People all over are amazed at the positive effects that well-behaved, loving dogs can bring to these patients or employees.
“We make Animal Assisted Activity (AAA) visits various facilities, with research showing that a person stroking, talking to and making eye contact with an animal, will experience a lowering of blood pressure, relief from stress, and easing of loneliness and depression and also increasing all the ‘feel-good’ hormones.”
TOP Dogs also offer animal-assisted therapy, which consists of therapy animals working one-on-one, along with a healthcare professional, counsellor or teacher, in a structured rehabilitation, counselling or learning programme that is goal-orientated, and documented.
TOP Dogs now also offers animal education programmes.
“Therapy dogs visit schools and children’s organisations to teach about the care and needs of animals. The children also learn ‘bite avoidance’ and interact with friendly, non-threatening dogs.
“It’s very rewarding, to see a child that was previously frightened of dogs, blossoming, after interacting with our very special animals.”
Rossouw said that the proof lies in the pudding.
“Many autistic children, people with dementia or even people who were in comas, have experienced tremendous physical and emotional well-being after interacting with therapy dogs.”
Rossouw told Rekord that the organisation are actively looking for people to get involved with their dogs.
“If you have a well-behaved, loving, people-friendly dog, and you would like to help people, this might be for you. Give us a call or send an email if interested,” she concluded.
For more information, visit the TOP Dogs website at www.therapytopdogs.co.za or send an email to info@therapytopdogs.co.za
Alta Rossouw explains what TOP Dogs are all about:
Do you have more information about the story?
Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites: Rekord East
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
