Victim Services looking for votes for K-9 program
Posted Oct 31, 2012 07:49:52 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
Victim Services of Waterloo Region is asking for your vote to help bring a therapy dog to the community.
The Aviva Community Fund is offering this opportunity, if the votes are there.
It’s part of a competition to fund ideas that will have the most positive impact on a community.
The idea for the K-9 Crisis Intervention Program was submitted by Erb and Erb Insurance Brokers Ltd. and looks to help reduce the impact of victimization amongst the most vulnerable victims, like children or those of domestic violence.
“Waterloo is a very progressive region,” says Kim Clark, the Executive Director at Victim Services of Waterloo Region, “and leaders in the areas of domestic violence initiatives.”
She says the use of therapy dogs became prevalent following 9-11 but it would be the first program of its kind in Canada.
Clark tells 570 News, the dogs allow victims to relax and feel more comfortable following a negative experience.
She says these furry-friends can and have helped in a variety of service sectors, like elder care facilities, hospitals and police and fire services.
The competition is currently in it’s second qualifying round which will end on November 5th.
There are three qualifying rounds before the semi-finals. The grand-prize winners will be announced January 29th.
