TheWongDogs

Healing Paws @ Assisi Hospice

Cory attended his first Animal-Assisted-Activities (AAA) at Assisi Hospice last week! Earlier this year, I made a resolution to do more volunteer work around my schedule. So far, the Healing Paws program seems to fit the best as it allows me to schedule time out to spend with Cory. *Cole is not suitable so for now, it is the SOSD FLAG DAY*

Do pardon for the lack of pictures as guidelines state that the faces of beneficiaries cannot be show. Also, the main focus was to interact with the beneficiaries, while ensuring our furkids are on their best behaviour. However, I will see how to work something out for future sessions.

How did it the session? Read on…

THE WONG DOGS EXPERIENCE

As it was after lunch, some of the participants were experiencing a little food coma. But those who love animals, their eyes lit up immediately when they saw Cory and Napoleon (Owned by Sheen and Eugene) walk in. It was heartening to see them hug, stroke and massage Cory while they revealed stories when they owned pets. From loyal kampong dogs to collecting up to 10 canines at one time, there were so many to tales to be heard. Ultimately, all they want is to have a listening ear and given some attention.

If you ask me, I could not have asked more of how Cory performed. He was so giving towards being hugged and even gave some of the senior beneficiaries’ kisses, to squeals of delight.

Cory’s next session? Thye Hua Kwan Hospital!

Photo credit: SOSD

AAA is not therapy work and as such, do not follow a structured program which has to be documented and evaluated. Instead. AAA sessions are extremely casual that are meet-and-greet sessions at homes and institutions.

Photo credit: SOSD

Want to get involved? Express your interest at the Healing Paws site and you will get an update on when the next assessment session is happening.

Labels: aaa, animal assisted activities, assisi hospice, dogsofinstasg, healing paws, miniature schnauzer, save out street dogs, sosd, volunteer

❤ "Healing Paws @ Assisi Hospice" was Posted On: Tuesday, 14 July 2015 @01:57 | 0 Wong comments ✿

Assessment Time – SOSD Healing Paws

Today, Cory took one step towards one of my resolutions for 2015 – that is to start involved in Animal-AssistedActivities (AAA). Interested parties had their canines exposed to a number of situations (wheelchairs, walking sticks, rough handling etc) to see their reactions, assessing their suitability of AAA events. Due to taking part in the assessment, do pardon the lack of pictures.

Credit: SOSD

Unfortunately, Cole due to his shy demeanour among strangers (that is why I did not sign him up) is still not ready to be involved in the programme. However, looking at the progress he has made towards strangers, I won’t be surprised if he is part of Healing Paws’ activities in time to come.

A little backgrounder, AAA differs from the more common practice of Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT or Pet Therapy). AAA are more casual and usually involve more “meet-and-greet” activities that involve pet owners and their furkids visiting homes and instituitions. What attracted me most is that such sessions are all-inclusive and do not need to be tailored nor geared towards medical conditions.

Recently, research has shown AAA has helped enhanced the quality of life especially for the disabled and the elderly, providing relief from anxiety, dear and loneliness. In kids, an obedience demonstration can be used at facilities which house children/teenagers with delinquent behaviours.

That is not to say other forms such as AAT and Pet Therapy are of lower quality. In fact, these take more specialised curriculums and need trained professionals with the process being documented and evaluated.

Thank you Dr. Siew, Stasha and Maureen for the opportunity. Now, it is time to see if Cory makes the cut!

For more information on the SOSD Healing Paws programme and how you can express interest, visit the link here.

Labels: aaa, animal assisted activities, dogsofinstasg, healing paws, miniature schnauzer, mixed breed, save out street dogs, singapore special, sosd, the wong dogs, therapy

❤ "Assessment Time – SOSD Healing Paws" was Posted On: Sunday, 8 March 2015 @09:06 | 0 Wong comments ✿

From 9am to 6pm – The SOSD Flag Day 2014 Experience

When Save Our Street Dogs (SOSD) sent out call out for volunteers to participate in this year’s Flag Day, I knew I wanted to be a part of it. But more than just asking people for donations on my own, I knew from the start I would do it with Cole by my side. Besides being adopted from SOSD, I knew participating in this event with him will make for a very powerful image when we make our way around Orchard Road. Hey, he needs to do his part for all his brothers and sisters who have not found their forever homes yet. :)

Collecting our Tins. Photo credit: SOSD

Photo credit: SOSD

Throughout the nine hours, I was constantly talking about my first days with Cole to what he is like now; peppering it with information on SOSD’s work and should they want to know more and get the full experience, to head to the National Youth Park.

9am

Seeing as how most of Orchard Road should remain empty till about 11am, I decided to park myself outside Dhoby Ghaut MRT station. Being a major train interchange had its perks and there were no lack of willing donors. I even had two people donating $50 notes here!

Photo Credit: Wikipedia

1pm

After lunch and giving Cole a much needed break, it was time to get back into action. And I knew the perfect place... Civic Plaza outside Ngee Ann City where the Subara MediaCorp Challenge was happening

Photo Credit: URA

One thing I learnt while Googling on how to maximise your Flag Day experience, was to park yourself outside convenience stores like 7-Eleven. People are bound to have small change, right? There were so many who came to me saying, “I don’t want all my coins, can I give them all to you?”

4pm

It was time to wind down and honestly, the tin can was getting super full (and heavy!) with Cole getting a quite bored that we were in one area for so long. With that, it was time to bring him for a walk around Orchard Road and ask for donations before we ended at 6pm. By then, anyone who even threw the slightest of glances at Cole, will have me asking if they would like to donate… many were willing to!

Of course, there were quite a number who wanted to ask if he is up for adoption. "Sorry folks, you are one year too late!"

It was heartening to meet throngs of people who were so open and willing to find out more and it serves one cornerstone point in the entire experience – if you love what you are doing with a mighty passion, who has time to be tired? I certainly felt mentally awake the entire time!

Photo Credit: Sam Forest Loo Lim

Unfortunately, it is no easy task to handle a 22kg dog and ask a bunch of stickers with the collection tin at once, hence no personal pictures on my side. But…! I am blessed to have friends who managed to snap a couple of shots! Thanks to everyone who came down and picture credits go to Jaster Ngui of Pawlicious and Sam Forest Loo Lim’s mummy, Ke Ying!

Pawlicious Pawsicle starting from $3.50

Oh, and yes! How could I forget our dear Jaster who gave an appreciative Cole NOT ONE BUT TWO PAWCICLES! But of course, he deserves it for being patted, prodded, hugged and stared at for nine hours, right?

Photo Credit: Pawlicious

Till next year! For now, I think Cole will be sleeping the next two days away!

Oh, before we left, this group of photographers asked if they could borrow Cole for a shoot they were doing with a model. I wonder... Whose look book will he appear in...