As an organisation at the forefront of delivering Animal Assisted Activity services to the community, Delta Therapy Dogs has been monitoring and responding to the health and safety needs in response to Covid-19, which unfortunately included suspending all in-person visits in March of this year.
“While the decision to suspend visits during this time was a difficult, it was also the right decision. It was imperative that we ensure the safety of our volunteers, beneficiaries, and staff during an acute health crisis. I am proud of our timely response and how well our team and volunteers around Australia adapted to what was an unprecedented call to action” – Melinda Farrell, CEO
Over the last few months Delta has been monitoring the situation and following the advice of government and health authorities.
This measured approach has helped our organisation stay ahead of the curve by minimising risk to our volunteer teams and ensuring the safety of our beneficiaries.
As of June 1, we commenced our staged return to programs by offering digital delivery of the Delta Therapy Dogs, Paws the Pressure and Dog Safe programs. This was a significant turning point for Delta during a time of uncertainty. It’s important for us to find ways to decrease social isolation experienced by the community, especially those who are vulnerable and have had reduced contact with others during the pandemic. The digital delivery program involves considered planning and collaboration with our facilities and clients. It also includes equipping our volunteer Delta Therapy Dog teams with the tools and resources to transform an in-person visit to a meaningful virtual experience for all involved, including their accredited Delta Therapy Dogs.
The digital delivery of our services is the first step in Delta’s staged return and we look forward to reconnecting with the community in an even greater capacity in the coming weeks. We will of course continue to monitor the situation to ensure all visits remain safe to continue.
If you’re interested in finding out more about our digital program, please contact our National Office at info@deltasociety.com.au and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
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