Kelowna香蕉视频直播檚 Police Services building has temporarily gone to the dogs, and it has everyone smiling.
Since the start of 2018, the local RCMP has partnered with Building Academic Retention through K9香蕉视频直播檚 or BARK香蕉视频直播攁 dog therapy program run under the direction of Dr. John-Tyler Binfet at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus.
For the last several years, BARK has brought together university students with trained therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers in an effort to reduce stress and combat homesickness.
In the partnership with the RCMP, the aim is very similar.
READ MORE: BARK BRINGS CREATURE COMFORTS
香蕉视频直播淏ringing UBC BARK dogs to the local RCMP station helps to support employee well-being while strengthening our partnerships within our community,香蕉视频直播� said Binfet.
While Binfet has pioneered the successful UBC Okanagan program, it was actually RCMP Supt. Brent Mundle who saw a place for the cuddly canines in the local detachment.
香蕉视频直播淲hen I was stationed in Alberta, at one of the detachments I was working with, two of our officers had been shot and one passed away from his injuries,香蕉视频直播� said Mundle.
In the weeks that followed, there were a lot of understandably distressed people at the detachment. And one day, Mundle saw something lighten their load.
香蕉视频直播淲e brought in a service dog and when it was in the building it had a large impact on the people. I always kept that in the back of my mind that I would want to pursue it if I had an opportunity,香蕉视频直播� he said.
When he ended up being transferred to Kelowna, he heard Binfet speaking at the annual anti-bullying breakfast about the university program and he saw an opportunity.
He reached out, and the two together have started a relationship that is both unique and beneficial.
Dog handler Maureen Watt said she immediately recognized the benefits to local RCMP.
香蕉视频直播淭here香蕉视频直播檚 a different culture when you香蕉视频直播檙e working with RCMP (than at the university). They (police) don香蕉视频直播檛 talk about stressors a lot of the time. I can say that from personal knowledge because I香蕉视频直播檓 married to a former RCMP Staff Sgt,香蕉视频直播� she said.
香蕉视频直播淗ere it香蕉视频直播檚 a quiet exercise where we allow the dog to zoom in upon the person who is having the stress. They edge closer and they touch the dog. You can see the physical changes. Their shoulders relax and all they are doing is patting the dog.香蕉视频直播�
The handler, she said, immediately fades into the background. It香蕉视频直播檚 a gratifying position to be in, said another handler.
香蕉视频直播淚 wish I could articulate all the wonderful things I see from people,香蕉视频直播� said Samantha Levin. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 cool to give back to people who risk their lives on a daily basis香蕉视频直播haring them is the most wonderful thing ever. We go away she香蕉视频直播檚 tired but happy, I香蕉视频直播檓 happy and our participants are happy, too.香蕉视频直播�
RCMP Cpl. Jesse O香蕉视频直播橠onaghey took advantage of the opportunity to spend some personal time with the stress reducing therapy dogs.
香蕉视频直播淚 quickly realized the benefits of such an interaction,香蕉视频直播� he said. 香蕉视频直播淚t香蕉视频直播檚 not every day that an officer can pet, get close to or even embrace a K9 inside a police detachment, our police dogs are great partners, but their training has taken them down a different career path than therapy dogs.香蕉视频直播�
On average four therapy canines visit the Kelowna RCMP Detachment, accompanied by their volunteer dog handlers, for a nearly two hour drop-in session one day each week. Two weeks remain in the trial phase, at which time the overall effectiveness of the program will be assessed.
