pets as therapy - pat.org.za · pets as therapy newsletter ... teer was heidi vollmer and her...

Pets as Therapy Newsletter

Enriching lives through animal companionship

Hazel Hill once had a dream to do animal assisted therapy. As there were no such organisa-tions in South Africa, she took it upon herself to start one. It took a lot of hard work and even more passion to get the organi-sation off the ground and re-cruit potential volunteers and facilities alike. But the hard work and passion soon paid off…

In October 2001 Hazel travelled to the UK for training with PAT UK Back in South Africa, she spent weeks modifying her notes and documents to fit the South African context. Then she set about spreading the word! Ha-zel wrote articles, had inter-views with magazines and radio stations and gave talks to Rotar-ian clubs and KUSA. The re-sponses were overwhelming and various dog clubs asked for

more details.

And good news always travels fast! The first recruited volun-teer was Heidi Vollmer and her service dog, Wizard. Together with Hazel’s dogs, Mollly and Rosie, they started spreading the love and promoting the con-cept of Pets as Therapy. The main challenges in the early days included first registering Pets as Therapy as a Non-Profit Or-ganisation/charity and then de-ciding on an official PAT

identity for the dogs! Ban-danas were chosen for being cooler than other forms of attire used elsewhere.

Another big challenge was assessing the dogs! Hazel was trained as an assessor in England and then had to train more assessors here in South

Africa, one of whom is our current chair, Charmaine French.

Fundraising was the greatest challenge back in 2001, and continues to be so, today. It takes heaps of dedicated time and constant network-ing, plus the help of PAT

Special points of interest:

• Our Founder

• Why we do the work we do

• Testimonials

• New Recruits

• In Memorium

• 2011 PAT AGM Activity Report

December 2011

NPO 024 153 - PBO 930004216

10th Anniversary Edition!!!

Hazel Hill - Founder of Pets as Therapy South Africa

Hazel with Rosie & Molly

Hazel Hill continued

members and friends, to raise enough funds to keep the organisation floating, and enable us to expand and meet the needs of numerous communities across the country.

Hazel has a special message for all of us at PAT: She emphasises the satisfaction and joy one experiences on visits as a PAT volunteer, and it is not a one-way street. You just have to see the delight and anticipation on those faces to know that PAT visits truly make a world of difference!

Although most dogs are simply pets and do not actually have to earn their supper anymore, there are many dogs who still have regular day jobs. Dogs are used for protection, they are used for sniffing out drugs and other con-traband and dogs’ keen sense of smell is very useful in finding and rescuing people in various emergencies such as snowfalls, building collapses etc. And do we even need to mention disabled people who are given back some of their independence because of their faithful service dogs? Our bond with dogs has been cement-ed over hundreds of generations and it is a proven medical fact that owning a pet, or even just spending time with one, has major health benefits on both physical and psychological levels. PAT volunteers open their hearts and take the time to share their animal companions with people who are not fortunate enough to have a dog of their own. Volunteers visit old age homes, children’s homes, hospitals and

facilities which take care of people with disabilities. Both visitors and those being visited experience the benefits and the PAT newsletter edi-tor gets inundated with personal sto-ries of dogs and volunteers bringing joy to residents at the various facili-ties.

Why we work with dogs

SOS CHILDREN’S VILLAGES

A group of children have been involved in a PAT programme with Glenda Walters and her husband and their three Labradors for some months now, and there is always much excitement when Sebastian, Sandy and Savannah come. The children learnt about dog behaviour and how to treat animals, while some children showed the dogs empathy and patience not displayed towards people. There is always great excitement when the dogs are coming, while PAT can only be applauded for the heightened emotional results by some of the children.

Michelle Linger


Benji at work at Red Cross Children’s hospital

Miss Piggy on a visit

This is just a short summary of some of their experiences; for full accounts, please visit the PAT website. Dogs are assessed for suitability and assigned to a facility where they would be most comfortable and happy. There is no particular preferred breed and each dog is assessed on an individual basis. The temperament type needed for this work is clear in Rosie the Rottweiler who sat at WODAC to be petted and played with by chil-dren, babies and adults alike amidst the turmoil of people, ani-mals, loudspeakers and excited

competition dogs. Livelier dogs are used in visits to children and dogs who visit old age homes are fairly laid back, such as Savannah the Labrador who sat on an old lady’s bed for an entire visit. The dogs who visit children’s homes and places of safety have to be extra gentle as many of these children are afraid of dogs and a lot of time has to be spent on acquainting them with the dogs. Volunteers and dogs are rewarded when the children sit down to pat, brush and talk to the dogs. Other children are less reserved and like to chat to dogs and handlers alike. Some just need a friend to talk to, such as the little girl who asked Lisl Robertson whether Tully is “the kind of dog you can tell you secrets to”. At this same facility, Lisl tells of another child who started speaking to her care-takers just to ask when the dog

Dog work continued will be visiting again. Each and every volunteer has many heart-warming tales to tell from the lady at Sunnyside Lodge who had not spoken in a long time to exclaim: “I love dogs!”, to Monty who made his elderly friend laugh by sticking his head into the bin and wearing the lid as a helmet. Babsie Robbemond tells of an elderly lady who used to sit and sleep in her wheel chair until she brought her dog Jessie over to talk to her; this is now the highlight of their visit and it means so much that the lady’s children especially thanked her for bringing joy into their mother’s life.

Rosie the Rottweiler ambassador

“Is this the kind of dog you can tell your secrets to?”

Monty the clown

IMPORTANT

REMINDER TO

ALL PAT MEMBERS Photographs form a vital record of PAT visits and interactions. However, the reality is that there are occasions when featuring a person’s face, or their condition or whereabouts, could create a problem.

PLEASE ENSURE THAT YOU ALWAYS OBTAIN PERMISSION FROM THE PERSON, THE FACILITY MANAGEMENT OR THE FAMILY BEFORE YOU POINT THAT CAMERA.

Legal wrangles and litigation are ex-tremely costly!

Thank you for your cooperation.

Stories of how much these visits mean to people are plentiful. There’s the resident of Huis Ebersohn who was waiting for the volunteer with a home-made card which all the residents had signed, despite many of them having had strokes and being partially para-lysed. Where you visit a facility an-other volunteer and dog had visited previously, you are besieged with

questions regarding the previous dog; where is it?; why it does not come to see them anymore? When you stop in front of a facility and are greeted with gleeful shouts of: ”The dog is here!! The dog is here!!”, you remember how fortunate you are to have a pet to yourself and you don’t mind sharing…

“Children who struggle to read have no problem reading to the dogs!

Those who struggle to walk, willingly walk along with the dogs and those who had previously been attacked by dogs lost their fear of them.”

Ronél Greef, ANIMA Children’s Therapy Centre


Helen keller society We commend Pets as Therapy for the excellent work

they do in our community. The older people, many of whom are blind or partially sighted, who live in assisted living or frail care centres had to leave their much-loved pets behind. They enjoy their weekly visits with these specially trained and lov-ing animals very much. Their eyes light up when they hear the dogs arrive and many have developed special

relationships with them. May PAT go from strength to strength so that many more organisations such as ours can benefit from this

very special service. Helen Keller said: “No life is deeply lived unless it is dedi-

cated to others.” PAT certain-ly lives up to this motto.

Elspeth and Bev

Alta du Toit Skool

“Tjokkie en Servaas het voorwaar die kinders se liefde en omgee vir mekaar na vore gebring.”

Dit is vir Alta du Toit Skool ‘n voorreg om PAT se honed te ontvang by die skool. Die terapeutiese waarde van die besoeke is legio. Die kinders se gemoed na ‘n besoek is positief en hulle sien uit na elke besoek.. Mnr Richard

Troy the visiting PAT dog!

Savannah at Huis Genot in Port Elizabeth. Abigail in Hermanus

reading with her friend

Dog work continued

Your visits to our Enrichment Centre for Life Skills class

are invaluable and we just love having you!

We are so grateful! Mitchell House School

Marsh memorial homes

On behalf of the children and staff at Marsh Memorial Homes I extend my gratitude and sincere thanks to you for the wonderful work that you, Jake, Jethro and Jinja

have done over the past four and a half years.

You regularly visited the children on Saturday mornings, and our children look forward to these visits. They find it

relaxing, it teaches them to play and just be a child, brining out their gentler side and helping some to overcome their fear

of dogs. Where a child had difficulty opening up to adults, this started to change too.

Our mission is to alleviate the plight of some of the most vulnerable children in society, in which we would fail if it weren’t for people like

Kathy Hindon, organisations such as PAT and great dogs, such as Jethro, Jake and Jinja, who bring much joy and light.

Sue Train

Morris Minor Visits Sherwood House

Max playing at Leliebloem House in Wynberg

These volunteers’ stories can be found in full on www.pat.org.za ∗ Babsie Robbermond – Huis Eber-

sohn ∗ Bella, Lacy and Anene Loots - Pan-

orama Palms Retirement Village ∗ Cassie & Debbie Myerson - May-

fair Lodge & Sunnyside Lodge ∗ Molly & Hazel Hill ∗ Rosie & Taryn Blyth ∗ Tammy & Keith Jones - Peter Pan

Down Syndrome Centre ∗ Themba & Manunge & Trish

Bolleurs – Oceanview LSEN ∗ Tara, Jenny and Ann - Pinelands

Place ∗ Tully & Lisl Robertson -Tenderton

House

Dog work continued

Lacy & Anene Leila & Sunet

Tammy & the Peter Panners

The Feast of St. Francis is celebrated around the world on 4 October. A couple of days early, on 2nd October 2010, a group of animal lovers met in the grounds St Josephs Marist Col-lege for 'The blessings of the ani-mals'. The afternoon was organised by a group of parishioners from the St. Mary's of the Angels Catholic Church in Athlone. Felicity Maart organised the programme. It was a small group and, though it was a windy

afternoon, the animals behaved well. Eileen Keogh, Eileen Modlin and Jessie Blackshaw attended with their dogs. A young peoples' group from the church entertained with their lovely singing and the story of St. Francis taming the wolf was read. At the end Father Albert blessed the animals. In future, the celebration will be held on the grounds of St. Mary's church so that it will be more accessible to the congregation.

Hello! I’m Tara and I am an official visiting dog at Pine-

PAT at the Pinelands Place Fair

Past Events

Big-hearted hounds: they came, they wiggled, and they waggled. More than 2000 dogs took their owners along to the SPCA Royal Canine Wiggle Waggle Walkathon in Tokai. This annual event raises money for The Cape of Good Hope SPCA. Here, Shanti and Chrystal show their support for their less fortunate friends. Picture: Brenton Geach


St Francis of Assisi blessing of animals at St Josephs Marist college

SPCA Royal Canin Wiggle Waggle Walkathon

lands Place. Well on Saturday 5th November 2010 my presence was requested at their annual Fair. My nose was soon drawn to some very nice smelling sausages on the braai in the gardens but most of the activity was taking place inside the hall as the weather was miserable. Being a standard poodle my coat is curly and woolly and I didn’t want to look too frizzy for the fair so I had to forget about the sausages.

Babsie Robbemond & Jessie

Hudson Park Primary School Family Fun Walk/Run

The Hudson Park Primary School/ LifeLine/Childline East London 5km Family Fun Walk/Run took place on 9 October 2010 at Nahoon was a great success and we were blessed on the day with good weather. A total of R6248.00 was raised for LifeLine/Childline which will go a long way towards helping us to help others. Each counselling session costs us approximately R60.00 and we rely on the generosity of people such as yourselves to enable us to continue with our services. The counselling of one person brings a measure of healing and hope to many others who are in that per-son’s world.

“I would like to thank you especially for hosting a stand at the event and also for having your dogs there. They added a lovely fun atmosphere and the children really

enjoyed petting them and seeing them walk. Thanks again. Your kindness is deeply appreciated by us all.”

Warm regards Joan

New Recruits

Madelein & Roxy Tinka & Kara Tammy & Lizelle Tappa & Debbie

Dear Friends

Our new Eternal, Special Day Calendar is now on sale for R75-00, and will make a great gift for any occasion that lasts forever. (A sneak preview of cover can be seen opposite).

The calendar features 12 pages of Happy Hounds, Cute Cats, Heavenly Horses & Divine Don-keys, each with a different-coloured, decorative border to suit all tastes and décor.

If you would like to order one, or two or 10, please contact me – see contact details.

Postage will push the price up a bit.

Please note : This is not a convention-al 2012 calendar, it is for birthdays, anniversaries etc.

Paws truly

Pat

Contact:

Pat Barr-Sanders

Editor/Fundraiser

The Society for Animals in Distress

Cell : 083 643 9480; Fax : 086 6265441

Banking Details : FNB Bramley; Branch Code : 252105; Account Num-ber : 5147 0054 747

Non-Profit Organisaion No : 001-249 NPO; Public Benefit Organisation No : PBO 930012662

Reading Education Assitance Dogs (R.E.A.D.)

R.E.A.D Initiative

A pilot project featuring R.E.A.D methods was carried out by specially trained volunteers and their accredited dogs earlier this year. Under the guidance of Marieanna le Roux, specific tasks and observations were recorded measuring the positive effects of children interacting with dogs to improve their reading skills.

Learn more about this programme www.therapyanimals.org


The Society for Animals in Distress

In Memorium In Memory of PAT visiting pets at the Rainbow Bridge

Foxy was my first PAT dog, adopt-ed from a shelter at 5 months old. She survived distemper and gave us 17 years of her own peace and har-mony. During her therapy visits, she patiently endured being hugged

A tribute to Foxy Modlin 6 December 2010

When Lyn Cornall rescued Millie, a scrawny, brutally maltreated mutt some years ago, little did she know just how much joy her new canine companion would bring to others. Be-fore too long, Lyn and her young grandson Josh, had passed the PAT assessment and were ready, willing and able, to enrich the lives of others. Lyn and Millie were assigned to the Oceanview Centre for the Handi-

capped. It took only a couple of visits before there was huge demand for Milie to walk their way, enjoy a hug, a stroke and a treat in exchange for a canine kiss. And so it continued for almost 5 years. With that canine smile and a perpetually wagging tail, Millie melted hearts, broke down bar-riers, enchanted those who felt re-jected, and made a fuss of those who felt lonely. Millie died in February 2011 after a short illness. Our condo-lences to Lyn and Josh, as well as our heartfelt thanks for all that they gave to others.

Millie Cornall

We miss you, but we’re sure you are bounding along happily

with Scallywag and Spicy.

Irene, Allen, Shanti, Heidi, Crystal, Toby and Clara

Charley Rynhoud

tightly by Jeanette (seen in the photo below) and was only too happy to sit quietly on a lap to be patted.

Gemma Terrill

Daisy Gibson

Nicki says “it’s Sunday, and raining and cold. I am not going visiting, no matter how many of those tiny little pieces of dried sausage I get!! Take Tommy instead…

Sabine Schmid

The newly established Labrador Book Club, with Savannah as Chairman.

Shenzi Croxford Soccer Supporter!

Shenzi in his Bafana uniform!! Sister Frost had a special day for the residents at Silvermine one Friday and asked that soccer garb was worn. As you can imag-ine, the residents were thrilled with Shenzi's outfit.

Lindi Croxford

Not to be outdone by her young friend, Morris Minor, and following in big brother Jake’s footsteps, Jinja too has had her first photo assignment!

Sandy hopes you have a Merry Christmas and a Happy, Healthy & Peaceful New Year.

Santa Sandy, aka Sandy Walters

“This is what happens when you leave four obedient, well behaved Labradors alone at home.”

Glenda Walters


Nicki Schmid

Savannah Walters

Themba & Manunge Bolleurs

“Come Manunge, time to go home!”

Jinja Hindon Fashion Model!

Social Page

Here she tries her very best to hold her stay in-stead of running off to greet the nearest crew member!

Photo: Michele Mar n

Morris Minor

Shark Attack! Morris's first professional photo shoot. He was such a star - everybody loved him says mom, Avril Cronje!

2011 PAT AGM Annual Activity Report

Vital Statistics

PAT Celebrates 10th anniversary 2001—2011

• New PAT EXCO and management formation • PAT Eastern Cape (Port Elizabeth) in full swing! 3 members, 3 facilities! • PAT Limpopo (Polokwane) featured in IDEAS magazine! • PAT Stellenbosch now 27 members and 20 facilities! • PAT Northern suburbs: word spreads and 5 new facilities join up! • PAT Hermanus: newspaper article raises awareness: 1 visitor, 2 dogs, and 2 facilities!

• PAT Cape Town: has 97active members and 59facilities! (And 9 more on the waiting list!)

• PAT Stellenbosch successfully launches our first R.E.A.D research pro-ject!

• PAT Southern Cape (George area) activated. Three new members and their dogs!

Fundraising

• 2011 MTN Foundation donates R10 000 to the 10th anniversary celebration!

• March 2010 – October 2011! Dogsense pet food sales contributes R5033 to PAT funds !

• 2011 Cavendish Square book sale raised R14 408

• 2011 Somerset West book sale raised R10 220

• 2011 A generous donation from Hewlett Packard!

10th anniversary edition!

PAT EXCO 2012

• Bruce McKee, chair

• Charmaine French

• Avril Cronje

• Margie Wood (treasurer)

• Marieanna le Roux

• Elmi Lotze

• Karen Steenkamp (non executive)

• Juan August (non executive)

We welcome our PAT PATRON!

Professor Patricia Hartley, MB ChB, FCPaed (SA). (Semi-retired!) Department of Paediatric Surgery, School of Child and Adolescent Health, Red Cross War Memorial Children's Hospital, Cape Town

NEW PAT ADVISORY PANEL

• Taryn Blyth (accredited animal behaviourist and trainer)

• Juan August (SPCA public & community related matters)

• Yolande Ginsberg (accredited animal behaviourist)

• Louise Botha (accredited animal behaviourist and trainer)

PAT fast facts & figures

• 171 Registered members and PAT friends in SA!

• 198 Registered PAT visiting pets nationally!

• 91 Registered PAT facilities around the country!

• 3Honorary and life members appointed !

• 36 Certificates of appreciation awarded!

• 11 PAT presentations and guest speaker assignments nationally!

• Numerous PAT media mentions, TV & radio interviews around the country!

Special thanks to: • Storm Carstens, for unwavering book sale

and general assistance!

• Leigh Williams for book sale helping hands and use of trolley every year!

• Paula Randle, book sale assistance at very short notice!

• Dogsense Food for ensuring that Bobby & Blackie (Includid resident dogs) live a healthy well-fed life!

• SPCA Cape of Good Hope, for taking care of Bobby’s leg injury and following up his recovery!

• Anton Roux, for 10 years of consistently reliable help and still going strong!

• Yolande Ginsberg, for invaluable input with assessments and professional recommendations!

• Rina Nel, for sourcing several thousand excellent books for next year!

• All the PAT volunteers and friends who worked at Somerset West and Cavendish Square book sales!

And coming soon...

• Look out for PAT KZN in 2012!

• PAT assessment training work-shops!

• On the look-out for more visiting feline friends!

• PAT East London to be renewed

• PAT social events!

Cheerio and Thanks a million!!

Hayley Medder and Cassie

Daryl Wakeford and Alticus and Duchess

Mandy Clayton and Sally

Joan Isham and Lyla & Kardek

Terry Raats and Polly

Mandy Gibson and Daisy

Lisl Robertson-Lain and Tully

Richard Randall and James Smal, and Sophie

Tony Davidson and Sophie

Sabine Schmid and Nicky and Tommy

Robin Pocock and Oscar

Yvonne Zwiegelaar and Teagan

Daphne Kew and Meg CONGRATULATIONS TO:

Each and every PAT member, their remarkable canine and feline companions, and the dedication shown to making a difference in other people’s lives!

And last but not leashed...

Contact Us Charmaine French Cape Town

Phone: 021 938 0351 business hours

021 782 4467 after hours

Fax: 021 938 0385

Email: [email protected]

Dr Karen Steenkamp Polokwane Region

Phone: 015 297 2088

Mobile: 082 822 6266


Marieanna Le Roux Stellenbosch/Helderberg Region

Phone: 021 808 3444


Dr Louise Botha Hermanus Region

Phone: 028 313-2709

Fax: 028 313-2709

Mobile: 083 264 2912

Email: [email protected] [email protected]

Glenda Walters

PE Region

Phone: 041-5823911

Fax: 086-2753214

Mobile: 084-3377021


www.pat.org.za

pets as therapy - pat.org.za · pets as therapy newsletter ... teer was heidi vollmer and her...

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