Celebrating 10 Years of the Community
therapy dogs society
The Community Therapy Dogs Society (CTDS) recently celebrated a remarkable milestone—ten years of bringing comfort and joy to the community. The initiative was founded by Steve King, who had a vision to create a program that would harness the calming presence of therapy dogs. Recognizing the potential for positive impact, Steve approached Marilyn King, who was then serving as the Library board chair. “It was a no-brainer,” Marilyn recalled. “We both saw the need for this kind of support in our community.”
From its humble beginnings, CTDS has grown into a vibrant organization, relying entirely on volunteer therapy dogs and their handlers. The society doesn’t own any dogs; instead, it collaborates with around 100 dedicated dog handlers who volunteer their time and their pets.
Each therapy dog is carefully selected and trained to provide emotional support in various settings, including schools, care homes, hospitals, and community events.
CTDS has established programs that reach a wide array of community members. They regularly visit hospitals and senior homes, where the dogs provide comfort and companionship to patients and residents. Additionally, during exam weeks, therapy dog teams make their way to universities like Mount Royal and the University of Calgary. “Students often feel overwhelmed during finals, and our dogs can help alleviate some of that stress,” said Rob Bauhuis, the current president of CTDS.
The process for becoming a therapy dog handler with CTDS is thorough. “Our handlers are interviewed and vetted. We do police checks, and we make sure that both human and canine vaccinations are all up to date along the way as well, because, you know, safety first,” said Bauhuis. Teams are assessed to ensure they meet society’s high standards for interaction and behaviour.
“I don’t have empirical evidence, but year over year, kids reading to a dog makes a good section of a letter grade difference. So, they might go from a C plus to a B, from a B minus to B,” said Bauhuis. “We’re receiving more requests than ever, showing just how much these dogs mean to the community,” said Bauhuis, highlighting how the demand for therapy dog services continues to grow.
“So recently, we’ve had some dogs that have passed away. We’ve had donations from senior’s care facilities and from seniors that want to donate to the program because of a dog that they grew to love and enjoy week over week. So again, that, to me, is a testament to how successful the program is as well,” said Bauhuis. Looking ahead, CTDS aspires to expand its impact further, aiming to reach 200 therapy dogs and continue helping individuals, one wagging tail at a time.
