Comfort amidst trauma: Dogs work with abused children at Sheldon Kennedy Centre

Two therapy dogs have joined the team at the Sheldon Kennedy Child Advocacy Centre to help calm children who have been abused as they navigate interviews, medical examinations and court proceedings.

Labrador retrievers Axel and Webster were specially trained for the task at Dogs with Wings, a program in Edmonton, with a focus on being comfortable with children.

"Kids that come in here have been traumatized, they come in with a lot of fear, a lot of anxiety," said Sheldon Kennedy, himself a survivor of sexual abuse.

"A lot of times they have been hurt by someone they trust. Ninety-five per cent of the cases that come through here, the child knows their abuser."

Staff and children

The children have to go through forensic assessments when they come to the centre and the dogs are there to help.

"A lot of time they're going in, they're reliving, they're telling their story for the first time and they can have a companion with them that gives them the comfort they need," said Kennedy.

He says they also help the centre's employees who work one-on-one with the kids.

"I can tell they're really relying on the dog for support while they tell me about really awful things that have happened to them," said Dr. Sarah MacDonald, a forensic interviewer at the centre.

She says the bond formed between the children and the dogs can make it easier for the kids to form connections with other people down the line.

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