Cambridge Memorial Hospital (CMH) made Canadian history by adopting Ember, a dedicated, certified facility dog.
You’ve probably heard about therapy dogs for patients. However, Ember and her handlers are trained to support the staff — from physicians to volunteers. The National Service Dog “offers[s] stress release, provide[s] mental health support, and provide[s] emotional comfort in a high stress environment,” reports CTV News. The goal is to help them improve physical, social, emotional or cognitive abilities.
“Not only does she provide comfort. She also promotes positive conversations around mental health,” Patrick Gaskin, president and CEO of the hospital said in a news release.
National Service Dogs
Ember started her job at the hospital after a two-month orientation period that included assessments from National Service Dogs. The organization’s mission is to “empower people to achieve their full potential with strategically trained and certified service dogs, catalysts for restorative change.”
Since 1996, the NSD has graduated over 555 Certified Service Dog Teams. They also helped many service dog organizations around the world start their own autism programs. Additionally, the NSD started three new programs themselves: Certified Service Dogs for PTSD, Canine Assisted Intervention, and Companion Dog Services.
Future Placements
“Ember is paving the way for future placements in the healthcare sector. We look forward to hearing about the amazing work NSD Ember will do at CMH,” said Emma Bluhm, Communications Coordinator for NSD. The University of Guelph is also getting involved with the new program. Researchers are evaluating its impact, both on staff and the facility dog. “We are in the early stages of exploring research opportunities with the hospital team and are excited about the potential to study the impact of program on both the staff and Ember,” said Dr. Jason Coe, a professor at the Ontario Veterinary College at the University.
