“She walks in there and it’s like ‘OK, look at me, here I am’,” owner Val Pike says. Pike and Rimu are one of 10 volunteer owners and dogs who will join the nationwide Canine Friends Pet Therapy programme on July 1. Until now, they have been part of a Hato Hone St John dog therapy programme, operating since the mid-’80s, which is coming to an end. Pike and Beryle Ravenwood, the new programme’s liaison officers, are seeking more volunteers to “help people who need
a bit of cheering up”. “If they have a beautiful dog and they want to share it — it could be once a week, every two weeks or once a month — if you want to be part of this amazing community group, please consider it,” Pike says. All dogs are assessed to ensure they are calm and tolerant, especially with children. She and Rimu, a five-year-old Bernese Mountain Dog, have been volunteering in Queenstown for the past four years, and are among 10 volunteers
who will continue under the Canine Friends umbrella. They do about 230 visits a year, including libraries, Lakes District Hospital’s emergency department, the Hato Hone St John ambulance station and the Arvida Queenstown Country Club rest-home. “We impact 350 people in the community a month.” Their weekly visits to the Queenstown, Frankton and Arrowtown libraries for the ‘Reading to Dogs’ programme are a great opportunity for children to get familiar with dogs, especially if they have had a bad experience in the past, she says.
However, her favourite place to take Rimu is the hospital’s emergency department. A dog is the last thing people expect to see when they are in ED. “For a few moments, they forget where they are. “Not everyone’s a dog lover, but it brings a smile to their face.” guy.williams@scene.co.nz
Canine Friends Pet Therapy, Hato Hone St John, Val Pike, Rimu, Bernese Mountain Dog, Queenstown, Reading to Dogs, Lakes District Hospital emergency department, ambulance station, Arvida Queenstown Country Club, volunteers