Many readers can vouch for the comfort of canine companionship. A wagging tail that greets you as you unlock the front door, floppy ears and the steady sound of panting that follows you room to room, and – if you’re lucky – a bundle of soft fur to snuggle on the sofa while you watch TV.
However, as much as you may adore your four-legged friend, there is a marked difference between a beloved pet and a therapy dog.
So what sets them apart?
“A therapy dog is a dog that is very calm and doesn’t jump up, doesn’t bark and interacts well. It is not focused on their owner, and doesn’t lie on the floor and sleep all the time either. It’s just a friendly little dog,” says Brenda Rickard, volunteer and CEO of registered charity Irish Therapy Dogs.
Irish Therapy Dogs, organises visits from approved volunteers and their dogs to an assigned care centre once a week. A visit from the therapy dogs can do residents the world of good, providing therapeutic benefits like feelings of relaxation and reduced anxiety.
Brenda tells Irish Country Living that the charity, which is entirely volunteer-led, is currently processing over 160 dogs for placement. “It takes time, as we travel to various places across the country to do the interviews. Everyone has to be rigorously interviewed and assessed. The dog must also be clean and trained.
“Obviously, the person and the dog are both very important,” Brenda continues. “People sometimes think it’s all about the dog, but it’s not. The person is important too. We send out references, we do the Garda vetting, and the interview. They sign a declaration form as well, just so they know exactly what they’re volunteering for, because it is a commitment. You can’t let people down. It’s one hour per week: the same day, the same time and the same placement.”
Care centres, including hospitals, mental health facilities and nursing homes, apply to Irish Therapy Dogs and the team pair one of the centres on the waiting list with an owner and their dog. To reduce travelling for volunteers, dogs and their owners are placed in a centre within about half an hour away of where they live.
Healing presence
Irish Therapy Dogs have a presence in hospitals in Dublin, Galway and Cork across a range of units, including paediatrics, stroke, dialysis and intensive care units (ICU). Brenda says that she has witnessed the positive benefits of a therapy dog across different units in the hospital.
“With dialysis, for example, people are coming from all over the country to hospital and just lying there for four hours and the dog can really help improve their mood.
“In ICU, it’s amazing how it helps. It can be a very sad place, and the dog just makes such a difference. People have seen their loved ones die with a smile.
“One lady was in a hospice, and she knew she was dying, and she was afraid to close her eyes. You can imagine her family were very stressed as well, and the little dog came in with her volunteer, sat up beside her, and within a half an hour, she was so peaceful, and just passed away with the dog under her arm. So many things happen like that.
“The dog is the facilitator,” continues Brenda. “The person is looking at the dog, petting them, talking about the dog, so they relax and open up, and then, they talk about everything. The dog can have a little lie on the floor at their feet, or sit up there beside them.”
Brenda also stresses that the therapy is not about the dog visiting three floors and being whisked around the centre by its owner. She says each person should have enough time with the four-legged friend.
“We tell our volunteers that we visit the person, not the condition. No matter how little capacity a person has, or if person is non-verbal, it’s very important to give that person time.”
Irish Therapy Dog – Ollie
Since February, the paediatric unit at University Hospital Galway have a new team member on the wards. Every Thursday, eight-year-old Malshi, Ollie, meets and greets staff and patients with a wag of the tail.
Pictured at UHG’s Paediatric Unit, from left, back row: Anna Calder, nurse; Lisa Porter, play therapist; Reshmi Kumar, nurse; Susan Massey, paediatric respiratory clinical nurse specialist; Aoife Larkin, paediatric clinical nurse manager; front row, Tracey Torpey, paediatric clinical skills facilitator; Siobhan Falvey, handler; Ollie and Sarah Murphy, clinical nurse manager.
A Malshi is a hybrid breed and cross between a Maltese and a Shih Tzu, well-suited to children given his happy and friendly nature. It was Ollie’s gentle and calm temperament that first prompted Siobhan Falvey, Ollie’s handler, to put him forward as a therapy dog.
“I saw an article in a magazine and I noticed how people responded to Ollie and how he was with people, and I thought that he would be suitable,” she says. “Ollie is a very gentle dog. He’s also very social, and really enjoys meeting people.”
“When we come in, everybody is all smiles to see him,” says Siobhan. “Staff as well as patients, because it’s something different. It’s lovely to see the reaction of the children and their parents. They just start to smile and relax.”
Tracey Torpey, clinical skills facilitator at the paediatric unit is credited with the idea of bringing in a therapy dog to the hospital unit. “I came from Temple Street in Dublin and we had a little dog [Buster] who used to come in, and it was just amazing to see the excitement in the kids’ faces. It gave such a morale boost to staff too.
“It was something I tried to get in Galway for quite a number of years, but it was difficult, and then COVID-19 hit. So we were delighted when we got a phone call to say that there was a doggy and his owner available to come to us.”
Tracey describes Ollie as “a great distraction” for kids. For many children, having an animal around the house is a very normal thing and seeing one takes their mind off being in hospital.
Another member of the team, Sarah Murphy, clinical nurse manager 3 at the paediatric unit, explains: “The kids are in totally different environments than what they’re used to, and the hospital can be scary.
“We have a couple of different things in place in the department that helps make it more child-friendly. When they see Ollie, their faces light up straight away. They just love coming down and meeting the dog. It’s a few minutes of escapism for them.”
On Thursdays, Ollie goes to the playroom to meet all the children who can interact with him and one another. “They’re all there together, and get their turns to give him a scratch,” says Tracey.
Having Ollie in the playroom was a deliberate decision by the staff. “We are very conscious of children’s fears as well. Some children don’t like dogs or have allergies, so that was the main reason we picked the playroom as the hub for him, because then it’s a choice for people [to come down],” says Sarah.
“If there are children who are bed-bound, Ollie can visit their bedside with the permission of parents,” she adds.
After one hour in the paediatric unit, Ollie is ready to hang up his Irish Therapy Dog uniform and go home. “You’d think an hour isn’t long, but he’s meeting a lot of people,” says Siobhan. “He’s delighted to go in every time. Every Thursday morning, he runs in the door, he’s very keen. Then after the hour, he’s happy to head home.”
With over 500 care centres waiting to engage with Irish Therapy Dogs’ services, Brenda is keen to highlight that the service is always looking for volunteers. “We really need more committed people,” she says. Brenda encourages anyone who may be suitable to get in touch via the Irish Therapy Dogs website, where you can also find more information about what is expected and required of volunteers.
See irishtherapydogs.ie
Many readers can vouch for the comfort of canine companionship. A wagging tail that greets you as you unlock the front door, floppy ears and the steady sound of panting that follows you room to room, and – if you’re lucky – a bundle of soft fur to snuggle on the sofa while you watch TV.
However, as much as you may adore your four-legged friend, there is a marked difference between a beloved pet and a therapy dog.
So what sets them apart?
“A therapy dog is a dog that is very calm and doesn’t jump up, doesn’t bark and interacts well. It is not focused on their owner, and doesn’t lie on the floor and sleep all the time either. It’s just a friendly little dog,” says Brenda Rickard, volunteer and CEO of registered charity Irish Therapy Dogs.
Irish Therapy Dogs, organises visits from approved volunteers and their dogs to an assigned care centre once a week. A visit from the therapy dogs can do residents the world of good, providing therapeutic benefits like feelings of relaxation and reduced anxiety.
Brenda tells Irish Country Living that the charity, which is entirely volunteer-led, is currently processing over 160 dogs for placement. “It takes time, as we travel to various places across the country to do the interviews. Everyone has to be rigorously interviewed and assessed. The dog must also be clean and trained.
“Obviously, the person and the dog are both very important,” Brenda continues. “People sometimes think it’s all about the dog, but it’s not. The person is important too. We send out references, we do the Garda vetting, and the interview. They sign a declaration form as well, just so they know exactly what they’re volunteering for, because it is a commitment. You can’t let people down. It’s one hour per week: the same day, the same time and the same placement.”
Care centres, including hospitals, mental health facilities and nursing homes, apply to Irish Therapy Dogs and the team pair one of the centres on the waiting list with an owner and their dog. To reduce travelling for volunteers, dogs and their owners are placed in a centre within about half an hour away of where they live.
Healing presence
Irish Therapy Dogs have a presence in hospitals in Dublin, Galway and Cork across a range of units, including paediatrics, stroke, dialysis and intensive care units (ICU). Brenda says that she has witnessed the positive benefits of a therapy dog across different units in the hospital.
“With dialysis, for example, people are coming from all over the country to hospital and just lying there for four hours and the dog can really help improve their mood.
“In ICU, it’s amazing how it helps. It can be a very sad place, and the dog just makes such a difference. People have seen their loved ones die with a smile.
“One lady was in a hospice, and she knew she was dying, and she was afraid to close her eyes. You can imagine her family were very stressed as well, and the little dog came in with her volunteer, sat up beside her, and within a half an hour, she was so peaceful, and just passed away with the dog under her arm. So many things happen like that.
“The dog is the facilitator,” continues Brenda. “The person is looking at the dog, petting them, talking about the dog, so they relax and open up, and then, they talk about everything. The dog can have a little lie on the floor at their feet, or sit up there beside them.”
Brenda also stresses that the therapy is not about the dog visiting three floors and being whisked around the centre by its owner. She says each person should have enough time with the four-legged friend.
“We tell our volunteers that we visit the person, not the condition. No matter how little capacity a person has, or if person is non-verbal, it’s very important to give that person time.”
Irish Therapy Dog – Ollie
Since February, the paediatric unit at University Hospital Galway have a new team member on the wards. Every Thursday, eight-year-old Malshi, Ollie, meets and greets staff and patients with a wag of the tail.
Pictured at UHG’s Paediatric Unit, from left, back row: Anna Calder, nurse; Lisa Porter, play therapist; Reshmi Kumar, nurse; Susan Massey, paediatric respiratory clinical nurse specialist; Aoife Larkin, paediatric clinical nurse manager; front row, Tracey Torpey, paediatric clinical skills facilitator; Siobhan Falvey, handler; Ollie and Sarah Murphy, clinical nurse manager.
A Malshi is a hybrid breed and cross between a Maltese and a Shih Tzu, well-suited to children given his happy and friendly nature. It was Ollie’s gentle and calm temperament that first prompted Siobhan Falvey, Ollie’s handler, to put him forward as a therapy dog.
“I saw an article in a magazine and I noticed how people responded to Ollie and how he was with people, and I thought that he would be suitable,” she says. “Ollie is a very gentle dog. He’s also very social, and really enjoys meeting people.”
“When we come in, everybody is all smiles to see him,” says Siobhan. “Staff as well as patients, because it’s something different. It’s lovely to see the reaction of the children and their parents. They just start to smile and relax.”
Tracey Torpey, clinical skills facilitator at the paediatric unit is credited with the idea of bringing in a therapy dog to the hospital unit. “I came from Temple Street in Dublin and we had a little dog [Buster] who used to come in, and it was just amazing to see the excitement in the kids’ faces. It gave such a morale boost to staff too.
“It was something I tried to get in Galway for quite a number of years, but it was difficult, and then COVID-19 hit. So we were delighted when we got a phone call to say that there was a doggy and his owner available to come to us.”
Tracey describes Ollie as “a great distraction” for kids. For many children, having an animal around the house is a very normal thing and seeing one takes their mind off being in hospital.
Another member of the team, Sarah Murphy, clinical nurse manager 3 at the paediatric unit, explains: “The kids are in totally different environments than what they’re used to, and the hospital can be scary.
“We have a couple of different things in place in the department that helps make it more child-friendly. When they see Ollie, their faces light up straight away. They just love coming down and meeting the dog. It’s a few minutes of escapism for them.”
On Thursdays, Ollie goes to the playroom to meet all the children who can interact with him and one another. “They’re all there together, and get their turns to give him a scratch,” says Tracey.
Having Ollie in the playroom was a deliberate decision by the staff. “We are very conscious of children’s fears as well. Some children don’t like dogs or have allergies, so that was the main reason we picked the playroom as the hub for him, because then it’s a choice for people [to come down],” says Sarah.
“If there are children who are bed-bound, Ollie can visit their bedside with the permission of parents,” she adds.
After one hour in the paediatric unit, Ollie is ready to hang up his Irish Therapy Dog uniform and go home. “You’d think an hour isn’t long, but he’s meeting a lot of people,” says Siobhan. “He’s delighted to go in every time. Every Thursday morning, he runs in the door, he’s very keen. Then after the hour, he’s happy to head home.”
With over 500 care centres waiting to engage with Irish Therapy Dogs’ services, Brenda is keen to highlight that the service is always looking for volunteers. “We really need more committed people,” she says. Brenda encourages anyone who may be suitable to get in touch via the Irish Therapy Dogs website, where you can also find more information about what is expected and required of volunteers.
See irishtherapydogs.ie
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