UKRAINE-CRISIS/DOG THERAPY Dog therapy helps Ukrainian soldiers to overcome post-war syndrome
Record ID:
141724
UKRAINE-CRISIS/DOG THERAPY Dog therapy helps Ukrainian soldiers to overcome post-war syndrome
- Title: UKRAINE-CRISIS/DOG THERAPY Dog therapy helps Ukrainian soldiers to overcome post-war syndrome
- Date: 4th September 2015
- Summary: KIEV REGION, UKRAINE (RECENT) (REUTERS) INSTRUCTORS PATTING DOGS INSTRUCTOR PLAYING WITH DOG VARIOUS OF INSTRUCTORS PATTING DOGS INSTRUCTOR TRAINING DOG AS IT RUNS THROUGH OBSTACLES INSTRUCTOR WALKING WITH DOG AS IT PUTS ITS PALMS ON INSTRUCTOR'S FEET (SOUNDBITE) (English) HERO'S COMPANION PROGRAM DIRECTOR, KALYNA KARDASH, SAYING: "It was obvious that there was some kind of a connection between the soldiers and the dogs or the cats on the front there. So I thought why not take that connection and use it to our advantage in the rehabilitation setting." INSTRUCTOR TRAINING DOG AS IT STANDS ON HIND FEET INSTRUCTOR PATTING DOG AS IT STANDS ON HIND FEET INSTRUCTOR AND DOG WALKING AROUND STAND AS OTHER INSTRUCTORS WITH DOGS WATCHING DOGS (SOUNDBITE) (English) INSTRUCTOR, CHRIS LOHNES, SAYING: "Because in Canada we can pretty well go whenever we want to train the dogs. We can go to mall, we can go to an athletic center, we can go to a restaurant and it's no problem going in there where here they are not used to dogs going into those places. So we are building that up slowly as well because for fully training of service or a therapy dog we need the facilities where soldiers gonna go." DOG RUNNING THROUGH INSTRUCTOR'S LEGS INSTRUCTORS WITH DOGS AT TRAINING FIELD KIEV, UKRAINE (RECENT) (REUTERS) INSTRUCTORS WALKING WITH DOGS ACROSS MILITARY HOSPITAL INSTRUCTORS WITH DOGS APPROACHING HOSPITAL BUILDING AS PATIENTS SIT ON BENCH SIGN ON HOSPITAL BUILDING READING (Ukrainian): "PURULENT SURGERY" UKRAINIAN SERVICEMAN, VASYL, PATTING DOG AS HE LAYS ON HOSPITAL BED VASYL TALKING DOG (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) UKRAINIAN SERVICEMAN, VASYL, SAYING: "They add a lot of positive, a lot of positive. I am telling you that I don't have a dog at home, but I can pat it, play a little with the dog, scratch it, hear its voice, feel how it gives paw. It is very nice." VARIOUS OF AIDAR BATTALION SOLDIER PATTING DOG AS HE SITS IN WHEEL-CHAIR VARIOUS OF AIDAR BATTALION SOLDIER PATTING DOG (SOUNDBITE) (Ukrainian) AIDAR BATTALION SOLDIER, NO NAME GIVEN, SAYING: "I surely like this programme. I am telling you that I had dogs from childhood. My father used to be a dog specialist in border division when he served in Germany in 1970s. He brought husky from there, it was the first highbred dog we had." AIDAR BATTALION SOLDIER PATTING DOG MAN SITTING IN WHEEL CHAIR AND WOMAN STANDING NEXT TO HIM AIDAR BATTALION SOLDIER LAUGHING
- Embargoed: 19th September 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Ukraine
- Country: Ukraine
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVAEA8HFUO1X3H6121LVFB3DAJR
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: A Canadian-led volunteer initiative called 'Hero's Companion' trains therapy and service dogs to heel Ukrainian war veterans wounded in fighting against pro-Russian separatists in the east of the country.
The founders of the project, which started in August outside Kiev, believe that some returning soldiers need not only physical rehabilitation but psychological as well. As many soldiers suffering from post-traumatic stress are very hesitant to go and seek out help from psychologists, volunteers decided to use dog therapy which has been popular in Canada, the United States, Great Britain and other countries for many years.
Hero's Companion programme director, Kalyna Kardash, said she has been following the situation in the conflict zone very closely for over a year and started to notice more and more instances of battalions adopting cats and dogs.
"It was obvious that there was some kind of a connection between the soldiers and the dogs or the cats on the front there. So I thought why not take that connection and use it to our advantage in the rehabilitation setting," Kardash told Reuters.
The project has two streams - with so called 'service' and 'therapy' dogs. Soldiers can pat, touch and play with therapy dogs and that's exactly what they are meant for. These dogs will go to the hospital for group therapy sessions with soldiers returning from the east.
The so called 'service dog' stream focuses solely on a pairing of animal and soldier. The animal is supposed to live with the patient permanently and learn skills to help them. A soldier who has had legs amputated or who only has one hand needs a dog that can pick things up, open the fridge door, answer the door bell or help while they are getting into or out of a wheelchair. The soldier will also be taught how to handle their service dog.
Participants say the project has started well. However instructors are still working to gain the same wide access to public places that they have in Canada which is still proving a challenge in Ukraine.
"Because in Canada we can pretty well go whenever we want to train the dogs. We can go to mall, we can go to an athletic center, we can go to a restaurant and it's no problem going in there where here they are not used to dogs going into those places. So we are building that up slowly as well because for fully training of service or a therapy dog we need the facilities where soldiers gonna go," said one of instructors, Chris Lohnes.
Volunteers and dogs have made several trips to the military hospital in Kiev where the reception among Ukrainian soldiers has been positive.
"They add a lot of positive, a lot of positive. I am telling you that I don't have a dog at home, but I can pat it, play a little with the dog, scratch it, hear its voice, feel how it gives paw. It is very nice," said Ukrainian serviceman Vasyl as he was laying on a wheeled bed and patting a therapy dog.
"I surely like this programme. I am telling you that I had dogs from childhood. My father used to be a dog specialist in border division when he served in Germany in 1970s. He brought husky from there, it was the first purebred dog we had," said another Ukrainian volunteer battalion soldier.
The project involves purebred and mixed breed dogs that were picked up from shelters. Some homeless animals were taken from the streets. Organisers say they need from six months to three years in order to go through the whole training process. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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