Canine Ambassador Program
Sweet Charity offers a Canine Ambassador Program to staff/dog teams for settings such as hospitals, seniors’ residences, nursing homes, schools, libraries, colleges and universities. The presence of a trained staff/pet team will enhance the school/business environment as the dog and the handler promote positive socialization and calm interaction.
Getting Involved
With the approval of your site administrator you may apply for the Canine Ambassador Program by filling in these seven forms in the CAP Application Package. To complete the forms download them, fill them in and either sign electronically (click on fill and sign in Acrobat) or print, sign and scan to your email as a PDF. Please be sure to also include proof of rabies vaccination with your application package.
Once the forms are completed, please attach all in an email to Chris at programs@sweetcharity.ca
A discussion with your administrator will follow to ensure an understanding of the program expectations. If the application package is complete, you will be invited to a pre-assessment session. Invoices will not be issued until teams have been accepted into the program by passing the pre-assessment.
Training
Sweet Charity’s Canine Assistance Program includes:
- an assessment of dog suitability
- 10 hours of handler/dog training
- Canadian Kennel Club Canine Good Neighbour certification
- Sweet Charity’s Obedience and Control Test
- a visit from a trainer to the site within the year after implementation
- ongoing communication with the trainer and site administrator, once the teams are active in the location
Our training reflects the understanding of the human/canine bond and the therapeutic benefits that this relationship can provide to a community.
Cost
The training for each ambassador team costs $500. Annual re-certification will take place at the end of the second and third year of implementation at a cost of $50.00 each
Documented Impact
In October 2016, Howard Bloom, PhD- Professor and Coordinator Child and Youth Care Program, Deborah M. Scharf, PhD- Research and Evaluation Services, and Garrett Hilborn – Research Analyst compiled the research report entitled “Implementation of the Sweet Charity Ambassador Dog Program in Simcoe County District School Board: A Pilot Study”. Here is an exerpt from their report conclusion: “The results of this pilot program suggest that the Sweet Charity Ambassador Program had a positive impact on the staff and students involved. In particular, students and staff reported that the dogs helped create a welcoming and warm environment in the service areas that they were located, and that they also helped improve student well being through reducing stress, anxiety and conflict”. Read the rest of the research report by following this link: Sweet Charity Ambassador Dog Program Final Research Report In August 2017 the updated research report “Outcomes and Experiences of the Sweet Charity Canine Ambassador Program (CAP) – Children and Youth Mental Health” was published after the team’s subsequent research. Read the stage 2 report here: Sweet Charity Canine Ambassador Program STAGE 2 Final Research Report
