Hannah Hammoud
Therapy dogs Scout, Leo and Larry provided comfort and cuddles to the hard-working staff at Northern Health as part of the Delta Therapy Dogs Paws the Pressure program.
Staff were greeted with wagging tails and big smiles from the pups in a wholesome collaborative initiative aimed at improving employee wellbeing.
The Paws the Pressure program works to reduce stress and boost morale by providing calming cuddles and friendly paw-shakes with Delta Therapy Dogs.
Northern Health Wellbeing Team senior psychologist, Casey O’Brien said the aim of this initiative was to empower staff to have open conversations about what wellbeing means to them, in a fun and enjoyable environment.
“As soon as the dogs and volunteers walked in, you could feel the energy shift in such a positive way. People’s eyes really lit up and you could see how happy they were,” she said.
“It’s amazing how such a short interaction can have such a huge difference in the way people feel.
“Everyone involved really appreciated the experience and it was great seeing the teams get together and connect in such a positive and uplifting way.”
Delta Therapy Dogs is a national not-for-profit organisation who believe that the connection between humans and animals is a unique bond that can help to improve quality of life.
