Sudbury to use ‘facility dog’ as a mental health measure

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The city’s newest potential recruit is sure to be one of its most popular.

The emergency services committee voted Wednesday in favour of proceeding with the application for a facility dog, to be shared between paramedic and fire services.

Ward 2 Coun. Michael Vagnini expressed some concerns about the scope and design of the program, as well as the need to curb spending over the coming year. Council will need to trim about $14 million from the city’s 2021 budget, largely a result of the municipal response to COVID-19. Ultimately, Vagnini voted against the resolution, but he stood alone. His colleagues — including Ward 1 Coun. Mark Signoretti, Ward 11 Coun. Bill Leduc and Ward 6 Coun. Rene Lapierre — all voted in favour of the canine pal. Ward 3 Coun. Gerry Montpellier said he was voting yay, “now that I know it’s not a Dalmatian.”

“A facility dog provides a calming influence to those who may be highly agitated or highly emotional, helping to normalize a traumatic situation, and enhancing feelings of safety and well-being,” Paul Kadwell deputy chief of paramedic services, said. “A facility dog acts as an icebreaker for difficult conversations, and provides a healthy and positive distraction for upsetting matters.”

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Research shows that “humans interacting with animals have found that petting the animal promoted the release of serotonin, prolactin and oxytocin,” a staff report noted. Those three hormones play a role in elevating moods, lowering anxiety, promoting relaxation, providing comfort, reducing loneliness and increasing mental stimulation.

The city is looking at acquiring the dog through National Service Dogs. The charity will train the canine, who will be available to first responders who are struggling with their mental health due to work-related stress. According to research, working dogs, such as facility dogs, can aid in the healing process and can benefit the bottom line.

“Over the past two years WSIB costs related to psychological claims by community safety staff have accumulated in excess of more than $1 million,” the report indicated. “Community safety continues to explore programs to provide preventative mental health support to reduce WSIB costs.”

Unlike service dogs, which perform specific tasks for their owners, or emotional support dogs, which provide therapeutic benefits to owners, facility dogs are “suited to work in a variety of environments and are accustomed to interacting with many different types of people,” staff explained.

As Joseph Nicholls, general manager of community safety, said, “the dog will go where it needs to go, in order to help members manage traumatic issues,” and will be available to all first responders, including paramedics, as well as career and volunteer firefighters. As Brian Morrison, the acting deputy fire chief, explained, this is not a dog who will bond closely with one person. Instead, this pooch will want to be everyone’s best friend.

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The community safety department is in the process of submitting an application to National Service Dogs for a dog. It is a long-term plan, as it could take as long as two years to acquire the pooch. Acquisition will cost about $10,000. It will cost about $5,000 annually thereafter for veterinary care, grooming and food. Weighing an average of 70 pounds, most facility dogs tend to be larger breeds.

Start-up costs “will be covered by one-time funding provided by the province for psychological mental health programs to address occupational stress injuries to first responders,” the report noted. Annual costs will be shared within the community safety operating budget.

While the facility dog will live with his/her handler and their family (the handler will be an employee of the paramedic or fire service), this pooch will not be a pet. This is a working dog, with roles and responsibilities. While on duty, the animal will be expected to don the working dog vest.

Facility dogs have been specifically bred and selected to perform their duties, based on temperament, health and personality. They have passed rigorous testing.

“They are not a family pet, station dog or community safety mascot,” the report stated. “Facility dogs are part of a specially trained dog/handler team that provides goal-directed interventions that promote improvement in physical, social, emotional or cognitive abilities. A facility dog’s activities are directed by a professional handler with specialized expertise.”

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The dog works in a variety of settings, and the handler “will be responsible to schedule regular visits at community safety facilities, providing the opportunity for staff to interact with the dog,” the report noted. “The dog is also used following tragic events to assist staff in de-escalating their personal stress levels.”

Not surprisingly, Kadwell said the dog would likely be a golden retriever or Labrador, or a mix of the two. He said National Service Dogs has worked a little with poodles, but they are not a preferred breed.

The dog will remain the property of National Service Dogs; however, its expenses will be covered by the municipality.

“When not conducting station visits, the dog will be assigned to a determined location to interact with community safety staff during shift commencement, training and staff engagement sessions, etc. The handler’s schedule will be altered throughout the year to allow the opportunity for all community safety staff to connect with the facility dog,” the report concluded.

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