A therapy dog can help people heal from all sorts of horrors. In Boyarka, Ukraine, one American Pit Bull Terrier is tasked with comforting kids who have lived through the unthinkable during the war with Russia.
Therapy Dog on Duty
Bice is an 8-year-old pup who works alongside a psychologist with a group of 16 boys and girls, ages 2 to 18. The kids have experienced everything from home invasions by Russian soldiers to mourning family members who have died in combat.
“Each child is psychologically traumatized in different ways,” Oksana Sliepova, the psychologist overseeing the group, told AP News.
On a recent day, Bice came to the children’s classroom at the Center for Social and Psychological Rehabilitation. It’s a facility originally intended to provide services for victims of the 1986 nuclear plant explosion in Chernobyl. Now, it is a community center the state operates to support those struggling psychologically due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Helping Kids Heal
Bice entertained the kids by performing tricks, like rolling over, stretching a paw out, or standing on his hind legs. In addition, the children hugged the pup and gave him treats.
Undoubtedly, the children enjoyed the canine companionship. They forgot about the world outside and its stressors, like the loss of electricity and heat, the disconcerting sounds of battle, the need to escape to bomb shelters, and the loved ones fighting on the front lines.
Sliepova had never worked with a therapy dog before. “I read a lot of literature that working with dogs, with four-legged rehabilitators, helps children reduce stress, increase stress resistance, and reduce anxiety,” she told AP News.
Darina Kokozei, Bice’s dog mom, accompanies Bice on these therapeutic sessions. When asked what message Bice gives the kids, she answered, “Freedom from problems, and happiness.”
Certainly, it’s a big job, but Bice is handling it beautifully.
