Colleen Anne Dell

1. Animals can be important to peoples’ health, including substance use.

Do you know the difference between a service dog, therapy dog, emotional support animal, and a pet? Learn about the differences!

Therapy Dogs

Some provide volunteer support and comfort to people when they do not have access to a dog
They are also known as comfort dogs
Some work with professionals during therapy sessions
Only allowed to go into places they are invited

Meet some St. John Ambulance Therapy Dogs here

Service Dogs

Specially trained to assist a person with daily living challenges
Challenges can be visible or invisible
Allowed into nearly all public spaces, except where food is made

Learn more about Service Dogs for Veterans diagnosed with PTSD and in recovery from substance use problems here.

Emotional Support Animals

Main role is to provide emotional support through companionship
May be prescribed by some health care providers
Have limited public access

Learn more about your provincial Human Rights Code (SK here).

Companion Animals

Also known as pets
Only allowed in designated animal-friendly places (such as a restaurant patio, pet-friendly hotel, or store)

Learn more about the beneficial role of animals in our lives by visiting our homepage

2. The bonds humans have with animals can support their healing from addiction.

Meet our therapy dogs and hear Dr. Colleen Dell discuss the power of the human-animal bond in her TedX Talk and journal article.
Find out the history of the human-dog bond in Dr. Robert Losey’s webinar.
Take our certificate course to be more informed about how the bond Veterans form with their Service Dogs helps them with their PTSD and recovery from substance use health concerns.

3. Animals can help humans cope at stressful times, such as a pandemic, exams, and treatment.

Find out how animals can help during the pandemic in this inforgraphic, with university students during exams in these journal articles (1 & 2), and at inpatient treatment centres in these fact sheets: Calder Centre Residential Addictions Treatment Centre & Métis Addictions Council of SK Treatment Centre.

4. Visiting with a therapy dog can lower patient pain in a hospital emergency department.

Read about our latest study in the news or a 2 minute cartoon!

5. 88% of Canadians in recovery from substance use identify their relationship with an animal

Download a poster.

6. Service providers can become animal-informed in their practice in six simple steps.

Follow the 6 steps here!

7. Animals can help people who are isolated feel like they matter.

Read a magazine about prisoners and their pets, view a poster about Veterans and their Service Dogs, and watch a video about students and therapy dogs.

8. Therapy dogs help to create a calming environment for staff & clients

Read about it in the Canadian Nurse Journal.

9. Animals can support recovery from Opioid Use Disorder in ways that a human cannot.

Learn about our study findings on the impacts of a therapy dog, pets and service dogs.

things to know about the human-animal bond & substance use

1. Animals can be important to peoples’ health, including substance use.

Therapy Dogs

Service Dogs

Emotional Support Animals

Companion Animals

2. The bonds humans have with animals can support their healing from addiction.

3. Animals can help humans cope at stressful times, such as a pandemic, exams, and treatment.

4. Visiting with a therapy dog can lower patient pain in a hospital emergency department.

5. 88% of Canadians in recovery from substance use identify their relationship with an animal

6. Service providers can become animal-informed in their practice in six simple steps.

7. Animals can help people who are isolated feel like they matter.

8. Therapy dogs help to create a calming environment for staff & clients

9. Animals can support recovery from Opioid Use Disorder in ways that a human cannot.

10. Indigenous people have a holistic view of the connection between human, animal, planet health

things to know about the human-animal bond & substance use

1. Animals can be important to peoples’ health, including substance use.

Therapy Dogs

Service Dogs

Emotional Support Animals

Companion Animals

2. The bonds humans have with animals can support their healing from addiction.

3. Animals can help humans cope at stressful times, such as a pandemic, exams, and treatment.

4. Visiting with a therapy dog can lower patient pain in a hospital emergency department.

5. 88% of Canadians in recovery from substance use identify their relationship with an animal

6. Service providers can become animal-informed in their practice in six simple steps.

7. Animals can help people who are isolated feel like they matter.

8. Therapy dogs help to create a calming environment for staff & clients

9. Animals can support recovery from Opioid Use Disorder in ways that a human cannot.

10. Indigenous people have a holistic view of the connection between human, animal, planet health

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