Delta Therapy
Digi-Dogs Program

Delta Therapy Dogs is a national leader in the delivery of Animal Assisted Services, with over 1,200 volunteers delivering our programs in hospitals, aged care facilities, youth services, mental health services, correctional facilities, schools, and vulnerable individuals isolated at home, right across Australia.

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While our in-person programs are confined to cities because of the on-going assessment and training that our Therapy Dog Teams undertake, our digital offering  however knows no bounds! Our specially trained volunteers utilise video call to connect to facilities, schools or vulnerable individuals anywhere in the country. 

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Our digital program also ensures that city-based facilities or schools who are experiencing lockdowns or restrictions on in-person visitors can continue to stay connected. 

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Program Outcomes

 

Successful programs achieves a human-animal bond, whereby there is a mutually beneficial relationship between people and animals that positively influences the health and well-being of both. In addition our volunteers create human bonds with program beneficiaries, with the same mutual benefits.

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Of course the main difference with a digital program is that we don't have the tactile experience available to us as part of the intervention – and so we need to work a little bit differently in order to continue to create these important bonds. However once established the sky is the limit in terms of the individual goals that can be achieved - including communication and social exchange, prosocial behaviours, pain reduction and stress relief, improving memory and recall, literacy skills, motivation and compliance etc. 

 

Program Eligibility

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The Delta Therapy Digi-Dogs Program is available to health, aged care, mental health, disability, youth and other community service organisations. It is also available for primary and secondary schools / education providers

 

The program is not available for staff of the above facilities or for private practitioners. However Delta's Paws the Pressure Program is available for those who are ineligible for our charitable programs.

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The Digi-Dogs program is also available to vulnerable individuals who are residing at home, and are at risk of isolation without such interventions. Individuals are required to be referred, with the consent of the individual (and/or next of kin/power of attorney as relevant), by a health practitioner, case manager, support worker, NDIS Plan Manager or other similar support person in order to access the program. 

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Program Costs

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Program Delivery

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Subject to Therapy Dog Team availability, sessions can be utilised in a format that suits program beneficiaries - for example on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Our Therapy Dog Teams will spend up to 30-40mins on the video call when interacting with one program beneficiary only, and up to 60mins when delivering the program to multiple program beneficiaries within a facility or school environment.