Canine Friends Pet Therapy brings joy to elderly in Hawke’s Bay

Dogs kitted out in scarves are bringing joy to the Hawke’s Bay elderly who have had to part ways with their canine friends.

Nationwide not-for-profit Canine Friends Pet Therapy has teams of dogs and owners in Napier, CHB and Hastings who visit rest homes, Cranford Hospice, Hawke’s Bay Hospital and the region’s prison.

Canine Friends Pet Therapy Napier liaison officer, Leanne Harkness explained her team has 15 members and the joy the dogs bring to the residents is so rewarding.

“Many residents have left their pets with family members and most residents remember their beloved canines from their younger years and love to share their stories with us,” Harkness said.

The therapy dogs can stay as long as elderly residents need to get their “doggie fix” and tend to sit beside residents, on their knees or on their beds, depending on whatever the residents like.

Harkness said, “It’s about having that moment of calm with a dog that is loving and unjudging, many of the rest home staff and resident’s visitors enjoy having a big of dog love too.”

Napier’s Princess Alexandra Retirement Village residents love the weekly visits from the Canine Friends team especially when its firm favourites Toby, a fox terrier cross and Sam, a border collie cross.

Resident Beverley Cheyne looks forward to Fridays knowing she will see some of her four-legged friends.

“Being an animal lover, it is very important to have the interaction,” she said.

“I love the dogs, it’s very soothing when they visit, and they are very well-behaved. Their visits are a real treat. I think it is a great thing being able to visit facilities with dogs, they are a real asset,” she added.

Another resident, Joan Kibblewhite said having a dog call in was one of her “favourite things”.

“They boost my mood, which makes me feel better.”

Kibblewhite’s daughter Jenene, regularly asks her mum what she has done each day, a question usually answered by “I don’t remember”. That, however, changes when the dogs have been in.

“Mum has always had animals and the visits from the dogs bring her alive,” Jenene says.

Dhan Magar, activities coordinator at Princess Alexandra, says the dogs have been coming in for some time and actually recognise each resident and how they need to greet them, some with a gentle paw or the little dogs hop onto their laps.

Harkness added that the retired farmers like Sam as they recognise him as a “proper working dog”.

“Sam ignites memories, and we often hear past stories of their own farm dogs,” she said.

The charity was founded in 1990 by Lower Hutt dog breeder Eileen Curry, who witnessed an elderly woman’s despair at having to part ways with her beloved dog when she moved into a retirement village.

Now, 33 years later, they have more than 500 members – human and canine – who visit people from all walks of life, on a rotation.

The youngest member is 16-year-old Lauren Harkness, of Napier, while the oldest member is 96 years old and still visiting with her dog.

When visiting, the dogs wear a branded scarf and members wear an ID badge that identifies them to residents, staff and other visitors.

All members and their dogs are covered by the charity’s liability insurance, and supported with health and safety policies. Members can be police checked and all dogs are assessed as suitable before they are placed into an appropriate facility.

Another initiative of Canine Friends is its nationwide Children Reading to Dogs programmes. Harkness is working with Napier City Council to introduce it at the Taradale Library.

The programmes are becoming extremely popular during school terms and holidays. Dogs are specifically chosen as being comfortable around children.

To learn more about Canine Friends Pet Therapy go to: www.caninefriends.org.nz