Animals helping communities

Animals have been a part of human lifestyles for centuries.

Domestic animals or pets are not only considered a part of the family but an integral part of the community at large.

Recent research demonstrates the role that pets can play in building a strong sense of community and developing active social capital; two cornerstones vital to any vibrant, healthy community.

Pet ownership is positively associated with social interactions, favour exchanges, community involvement and increased feelings of neighbourhood friendliness and sense of community.

With about 63 percent of Australians owning a pet, these benefits, when aggregated across the whole community, are of significant interest to local Councils and others concerned with building healthier, happier neighbourhoods.

In addition, these benefits create a ripple effect that extends beyond pet owners into the broader community, with pets helping to smooth the way for social interaction and general ‘out and about-ness’.

Both anecdote and research suggest that pets are well-recognised ice-breakers. Dogs, for example, can stimulate conversation and contact between strangers and trigger positive social interaction.

An Australian study showed that half of all dog owners indicated that they had come to know locals in their suburb as a result of their dog.

Residents or neighbours chatting to each other as a result of a pet is not just a social nicety.

Such community-based interactions between people have the very real potential to break down the barriers and stereotypes that separate us from ‘others’ while playing an important role in building trust and a deep sense of community at the neighbourhood level.

Along with household pets adding to community wealth, there are many other animals specially trained to help make the lives of people in our communities richer.

Assistance Dogs Australia

Assistance Dogs Australia trains Labradors and Golden Retrievers to help people with physical disabilities.

These dogs undertake everyday tasks such as opening doors, pressing the button to cross the road, picking up dropped items but most of all they offer a form of confidence and independence to someone in the community.

http://www.assistancedogs.org.au/

Delta Society Australia

The Delta Pet Partners Program volunteers and their Delta dogs visit any institution where re-establishing contact with a companion animal enhances the quality of the patients’ and residents’ lives.

Delta dogs are involved in recreational, diversional and play therapy activities and increasingly in goal-oriented therapy.

Pet Partners visit children’s and adult hospitals, mental health units, hospices, adult respite day care centres, rehabilitation units, hospices, and community group homes, schools and nursing homes, our largest client group.

http://www.deltasocietyaustralia.com.au/bonding.htm

Guide Dogs Australia

Guide Dogs Australia represents all of Australia's state-based Guide Dog organisations.

Together, as the nation's leading providers of orientation and mobility services, including Guide Dogs, they assist people who are blind or have a vision impairment gain the freedom and independence to move safely and confidently around the community and to fulfil their potential.

They don’t receive any government funding for the breeding, training, and provision of Guide Dogs (which are provided completely free of charge to clients), but rely heavily on the support of business and the community to help deliver these and other vital orientation and mobility services to those in need.

http://www.guidedogsaustralia.com/

Police Horses

The first body of Mounted Police in Australia was formed by Governor Brisbane on the 7th September, 1825.

A young untrained Police Horse’s education continues through various stages until he is able to be ridden and walked around with quiet troop horses.

During his training, the young horse is taught to walk, trot and canter correctly, to rein back, side passage, and most important of all, to stand still.

The Mounted Police perform Park Patrols in CentennialPark, Hyde Park, The Domain and Mrs. Macquarie's Chair; and Street Patrols in the Rocks, Millers Point, Kings Cross, Woolloomooloo, DarlingHarbour and Redfern areas of the City of Sydney, on a regular basis.

Also patrols are carried out in the Suburban areas of Manly, Bondi, Cronulla, Liverpool and Parramatta.

The Mounted Police assist General Duties Police on "Special Operations, in the City of Sydney, Suburban areas and Country areas of NSW. These operations consist of:

Crowd Control & Traffic Control, at major functions or events (i.e. New Years Eve Celebration, Festivals, Carnivals, major sporting events, etc.). It has been said one Police horse is more effective than ten foot Police when performing crowd control.
Searches - mainly in country areas or outer suburban areas, in National Parks, for lost persons, escapees, drug plantations, etc.
Stock mustering - Mounted Police can assist, Stock Squad Police R.S.P.C.A. Officers, and Local Government impounding officers, in mustering stolen or emaciated stock, and are equipped to assist Local Police in re-capturing runaway horses in the city and inner suburban areas.

http://www.policensw.com/info/gen/u7.html

Velma’s Pets as Therapy

The Pets as Therapy Program provides a trained, accredited volunteer and pet to visit people in nursing homes, retirement villages, aged care or health care facilities, with the prime purpose of bringing fun, joy, physical, social and mental stimulation.

Their programs are designed especially for health care and aged care facilities, where people are living without the love, companionship, closeness, friendship, entertainment, benefits and sheer enjoyment which pets so freely have to offer.

http://www.velmaspetsastherapy.com.au/our-pets-as-therapy-programs/

Guide Dogs Pets as Therapy

Pets As Therapy (PAT) is a free community service provided by Guide Dogs NSW/ ACT.

The service is designed to fulfil the companionship needs of people who may be disadvantaged because of age, illness, disability or isolation throughout New South Wales and the ACT.

http://www.guidedogs.com.au/Pets-As-Therapy-Program.html

Pets For Therapy

Pets For Therapy (P.F.T.) is unique in that it facilitates the provision of therapeutic, loving and caring visits to hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes and schools, by volunteers with their friendly, temperamentally suitable, obedience trained and qualified dogs.

Our dogs range in breeds and size from the tiny to the large so there's always a dog to suit everyone's taste!

Every week these calm friendly dogs give many people, both young and old, the chance to stroke and talk to them.

The dogs perform basic obedience, agility and tricks, however it's the hands on and interaction with both dogs and handlers that brings the rewards.

http://www.gallerygiselle.com/pettherapy.htm

Search and Rescue Dogs Australia

Search and Rescue Dogs Australia (SARDA) is a volunteer-based non-profit organisation that provides specially trained search and rescue dogs for Australian Emergency Services to assist in locating missing persons.

All SARDA members believe strongly in the community service they provide. SARDA receives no government support, and the team relies heavily on fund-raising activities and the generosity of individuals, private industry, and the community as a whole.

To provide specially trained dogs, handlers and support personnel for the search and rescue of missing persons;
To provide SAR dog services to Australian Emergency Services, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year, at no cost to requesting organizations or the communities we serve;
To provide training and education for SARDA dogs and members to develop and improve those capabilities that will ensure competent and capable SAR dog teams and operations; and
To further the public knowledge, interest and use of search and rescue trained dogs.