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The
Sentient World of Animals
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By sister initiate Hsu Chi-wen, Taipei News Group, FormosaOn a certain Saturday morning, I visited the Taipei Municipal Heng-an Nursing Center and observed six "dog doctors" on a mission. These animals were the first to be trained by the Formosa Animal-Assisted Activity and Therapy Association. On that day, Ms. Yeh Ming-li, associate professor of the National Taipei College of Nursing (NTCN) and other nursing staff members from the College were there ready to welcome the dog doctors and their owners.
This animal-assisted therapy program for dogs is a two-year project undertaken by Professor Yeh Ming-li in cooperation with Formosa's National Science Council. Depending on the condition of the patients, Ms. Yeh arranged a specific dog for an elderly patient, and the two partners would meet every Saturday for a 16-week period of animal-assisted therapy (AAT).
"AAT is a target-oriented method that uses special and suitable animals in medical treatment. The medical and nursing professionals diagnose a patient's illness, determine the AAT needed, and then counsel the patient on making a recovery with the help of an animal. The program does not encourage patients to raise pets or to train service animals such as guide dogs for the blind. The whole idea of AAT is to strengthen interaction between people and animals so that patients can improve in their physical and mental state, social relations, and spiritual growth," said Professor Yeh.
The Taipei Municipal First Children's Development Center, working in cooperation with the Formosa Animal-Assisted Activity and Therapy Association, found that about 20 to 30 of its young polio victims improved noticeably in terms of bodily mechanisms, rehabilitation and communication abilities through contact and play with dog doctors. A dog doctor even succeeded in making an autistic child smile and be more willing to open up to people.
Chen Hsiu-yi, director of the Association, expected more dog owners to enroll their pets for the dog doctor training program, which is offered free of charge. This public service requires the cooperation and continuous devotion of the dog owners, who have to accompany their dogs to their weekly sessions with patients in order for the therapy to work. After three years of effort, Director Chen now has 28 dog doctors at her service. However, there are more medical institutions ready to receive AAT service and more dog doctors are needed.
When we observed the one-on-one activities between the elderly patients and the dog doctors accompanied by their owners, I perceived the sincere love of the owners and felt the loyalty that bound the dogs to them. Moreover, I found that the elderly patients were entirely immersed in the loving and trusting relations between humans and dogs, and gave natural expression to their emotions. For example, one enthusiastic grandma swung her disabled body and almost got up from her wheelchair as soon as she saw her dog doctor appear. Its name was "Yo-yo" but the grandma forgetfully called it "Dou-dou," much to everyone's amusement. Apparently the elderly lady had dressed up especially for this meeting because she had been looking forward to her weekly session with her dog doctor!
Out of curiosity, I asked Chen Hsiu-yi about the possibility of stray dogs joining the service team, for it would give them the right to demand a dignified existence if they could serve society. And Chen welcomed the stray dogs to join the program free of charge. As she noted, dog doctors that have received professional training can judge whether their owners are right for them and able to win their complete trust! Dog owners must be committed, patient, and able to promptly correct their dog's improper behavior. Trained stray dogs would prove equally competent for the task, said Chen.
The Taipei Municipal Institute of Animal Health (TMIAH) is conducting a three-year project in cooperation with the Formosa Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy Association. For each of the six-month programs in the project, 20 stray dogs will be selected from animal shelters, and volunteers will be openly solicited to accompany the dogs in the training. The stray dogs will first be adopted by the volunteers, and free training will be provided to both the dog doctors and their owners. The first "stray dog medical team" is expected to be formally established in Formosa within three years. Chen also said that if the dogs from the animal shelters can be trained to be dog doctors, it will help people recognize the value of life for stray dogs, enhance relations between dogs and humans, and protect the stray dogs' right to live.
Note: Anyone interested in AAT social service and in becoming a member of the stray dog medical team is asked to contact the Formosa Animal-Assisted Activities and Therapy Association for detailed information on dog adoption and training.
Tel.: 886-2-2392-4860, contact person:
Miss Tsai Pei-yun
