Our toolkit for Service Dog Organizations informs service dog trainers about recovery from substance use problems and the important role of peer support and connection for the wellness of their Veteran dog handlers diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).  This toolkit includes:  

• an online certificate course and  
• access to substance use recovery and peer support resources.   

This project initiated in 2016 as a research partnership between the University of Saskatchewan and a service dog organization in Canada. The project team includes over 30 individuals from universities across Canada, the veteran community, service dog organizations and trainers,  and guidance from Indigenous Elders and working alongside service dogs.    

Learn more about our project and our commitment to canine wellness.    

 This course will be of interest to anyone who wants to understand how animals can support individuals facing substance use and other mental health disorders.  

The course is completed at your own pace!  Sign up HERE (a limited number of scholarships are available).

Unlock the transformative power of human-animal interaction!

• Module 1: Understanding the Bond - Explore the evidence-informed benefits of the human-animal bond and how animals, especially pets, can support recovery & the wellness journey.
• Module 2: Integrating Animal-Informed Care - Learn about the benefits of integrating animals into your practice to enhance support services.
• Module 3: Tailored Strategies for Ethical Animal Participation - Explore specialized techniques for working with different animals and client groups.
• Module 4: First Steps and Best Practices - Navigate the early stages of incorporating animals into your practice by reviewing guidelines and case studies.
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• First of its kind to be offered in the substance use health field.
• Developed by a team of experts with academic and lived experience in the fields of mental health, substance use, and human-animal interaction.
• Grounded in a One Health approach - recognizing the interdependence of human, animal and environmental health - with specific attention to zooeyia. 
• Recognizes Indigenous worldviews. 
• Learn about companion, therapy, service, and emotional support animals.
• Practical, interactive, and evidence-informed for real-world application.
• Convenient 5-hour online format, learn at your own pace, in an individual or group setting.
• Develop an action plan for your organization to become animal-aware.
• Receive a digital badge/certificate and continuing education credit.
• Low introductory cost ($49+tx CDN, payable by credit card) with subsidies available.

• Recognize the role of animals in recovery & the wellness journey
• Identify evidence for the human-animal bond
• Distinguish animal roles and interventions
• Identify therapeutic benefits and concerns
• Incorporate animals ethically and professionally 
• Generate and share ideas for practice integration

Ideal for professionals in substance use and mental health, social service, and allied professionals interested in enhancing their practice with animal aware approaches. Also suitable for anyone interested in understanding their own animal relationships, including individuals on their recovery journey. 

BACKGROUND:  St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog teams have been providing comfort and support to individuals they visit for over 15 years in Saskatchewan, and since 1992 starting in Peterborough, Ontario. There are numerous other therapy dog organizations in Canada. 

The human and dog volunteer teams visit at a range of places where individuals do not typically have access to a pet, such as hospitals, airports, and university campuses. This is called an animal assisted activity. Extensive vetting and testing is typically involved in becoming a therapy dog team, but limited education is provided to handlers to increase their awareness and skills in areas that would support their visits. 

AIM:  To help fill this gap, a free, 8-hour online course has been designed for therapy dog handlers to:

• Become aware of their own biases with regards to the diversity of others (e.g., culture, race, sexuality, socioeconomic status, etc.), and make a commitment to supporting inclusive therapy dog experiences.   (Module 1 - diversity & inclusion with Nancy Poole)
• Describe what mental health is, with particular attention to anxiety and trauma and how they impact thinking and behaving, and identify the basics of responding to a client’s mental health.  (Module 2 - client mental health with Erin Beckwell)
• Describe mental health self-care and peer support, why they are important, and how therapy dog handlers can practice them.   (Module 3 - handler self-care and peer-support with Janelle Jackiw)
• Identify the basics of dog body language and therapy dog care, during and after visiting.  (Module 4 - dog behavior and care with Anne Howie)
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This course is open to therapy dog handlers as well as anyone wishing to improve inclusive communication with others, the well-being of themselves, and/or better understand their dog’s behaviour.