Programs
Our organization does NOT train dogs or their handler, nor do we evaluate/certify personal support or service dogs. We evaluate qualified prospective teams to ensure their ability to participate in pet therapy programs. Our volunteers are carefully screened & visit with their family pet.
Due to liability and safety issues, we are not able to provide visits in private homes.
Therapeutic Paws of Canada™ is a free, volunteer-based pet therapy dog and cat visitation program. Our Volunteers and their certified pets visit with members of their communities in hospitals, senior’s residences and long term care facilities or wherever there is a need.
We also offer several Children’s Programs that our Child Certified Teams participate in. Child Certified teams have been evaluated on a second set of criteria to work with children as children can sometimes be more unpredictable and excitable in nature. Our programs are designed to achieve the goals of our clients in a fun and safe environment.
For answers to commonly asked questions please visit our FAQs
Paws With Love To Share™
A therapy dog and cat visitation program for senior facilities such as retirement homes, nursing homes, Alzheimer day away centres, hospitals and where there is a need. This program enhances the quality of life and health for seniors through the human/animal bond. The medical establishment has long recognized the significant benefits of a therapy pet program. The petting and stroking of a pet help to calm the most agitated senior and stimulates wonderful conversations about the pet they once owned and loved. The positive impact of our program on the day-to-day life of each senior throughout our community and beyond cannot be calculated.
For more information please contact the Team Leader in your area.
PAWS Room
Educational facilities and the business community can request on-site PAWS Room visits in large or small group formats. Our PAWS Room program sees TPOC handlers, and their certified dog/cat engage with Secondary schools, Universities and Colleges to provide emotional support and stress relief for students and staff.
PAWS Room visits allow the students to put the pressure of studying and writing exams to one side as they spend time with the therapy pets. Students welcome the chance to interact with our therapy teams and often share stories of their own family pets and for a moment, they can refocus on something other than the challenges of exam week. The presence of a therapy pet can help reduce the student’s stress levels during exam time, traumatic circumstances, and reduce feelings of loneliness for family, friends and the family pet while living away from home.
We also provide PAWS Rooms to businesses to support employee wellness. PAWS Rooms have been extremely well received by companies and their employees. They continue to be a welcome addition to corporations across Canada and many are now including this initiative as part of their regular ongoing Health and Wellness programs with great success. For more information, please contact the Team Leader in your area.
Support Pet
The Support Pet program is designed to accommodate a specific request from an organization on behalf of their client, such as Victim Witness Assistance Program and the judicial system. The Support Pet is present to offer emotional support either in an interview room setting, or at times in the courtroom during proceedings. The Support Pet provides emotional support to the victim or witness.
For more information please contact the Team Leader in your area.
Paws for Comfort
Visitations with first responders, shelters, hospices, disaster sites, grief/loss support, school crisis support and Victim Services Assistance programs. In the Paws for Comfort program the therapy pet team is there to offer emotional support. Adult visits can be done on a one-on-one basis or in small or large group settings. Visits with children are always done in small or large group settings in a communal area. These visits help provide emotional support and stress relief to our many frontline workers and those that have been affected by tragedy or trauma. Visiting therapy pets have been known to help lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety and provide a calming support to those who are experiencing a traumatic event.
For more information please contact the Team Leader in your area.
Paws to Read ®
The Paws To Read® program is offered to primary schools and libraries free of charge. In the PTR program, children read to a Child Certified pet in a relaxed atmosphere. Children can struggle with reading at different stages of their learning and may have difficulty or be uncomfortable reading out loud or in front of a group. Reading with a dog or cat can help to improve a child’s self-confidence and desire to read. The therapy pet is non-judgmental and brings back the joy of reading. Teachers and parents have noted that there is a significant increase in the desire to read and the reading abilities of a child that has participated in a Paws to Read® program.
For more information please contact the Team Leader in your area.
Paws-Abilities
Therapeutic Paws of Canada™ offers the Paws-Abilities programs for people of all ages to explore the full “paws-ability” to reach their goals. Our teams work with occupational therapists and professionals in the field to assist those with mental, physical, emotional, and trauma induced disabilities. We tailor our programs to the individual needs of the person (based on the assessment of facility professionals). Some visits focus on social interaction, some on physical motivation in physiotherapy, and some on attentiveness and calming. No matter the goal, the outcomes are always positive and bring the fun factor into the challenge that may be incredibly difficult.
For more information please contact the Team Leader in your area.
