St. John Ambulance’s Therapy Dog Program helps people in need

Every two weeks, residents at various assisted living homes around the HRM get ready to greet special visitors. They’re different than the normal variety — they’re therapy dogs (and their owners) who volunteer with the St. John Ambulance Therapy Dog Program. “It started in Ontario in 1993 and it’s been operating in Nova Scotia since 1999 and Prince Edward Island since 2000,” says Tia Larkin, community services coordinator Nova Scotia/Prince Edward Island for St. John Ambulance. “Currently we have 300 teams in the two provinces.”