Impact Stories
Wagging Tails, Lasting Impact: Expanding Delta Therapy Dogs in Our Community
The John James Foundation has a mission to improve health outcomes in our community, and we understand that true health is often so much more than just clinical treatment. Wellbeing and connection are critical to healing, recovery, and quality of life, particularly in hospital and aged care settings. That’s why we were proud to have supported the recruitment and training of a new cohort of Delta Therapy Dog teams in Canberra. This funding has enabled 20 new volunteer-dog teams to be trained and deployed, directly meeting the growing demand for therapy dog visits in hospitals, aged care homes, and the wider community.
The result? Approximately 400 additional aged care residents, hospital patients, and school students will now benefit from these visits every fortnight.
The presence of a therapy dog in a healthcare or aged care setting brings more than just a smile—it changes the emotional atmosphere of a room. It eases anxiety, lowers stress, reduces feelings of isolation, and often improves engagement between patients and their care teams. In aged care, it can unlock memories and spark conversation. In hospitals, it provides a moment of calm, particularly for those undergoing lengthy or difficult treatments. The joy is visible, immediate, and lasting.
We’ve heard firsthand how these visits make a difference. One Delta volunteer shared a moment during a visit with her therapy dog, Basil:
Lovely visit. One gentleman was very poorly and had significant difficulties communicating, but his face lit up when he saw Basil. Basil curled up next to him, and every time the gentleman put his hand out to pat Basil, he let out a laugh and a big smile. Lots of other patients and staff were also very happy to see Basil, so it was a pleasure to visit today.
Moments like this are at the heart of why we chose to fund the expansion of this program. Our grant allowed Delta Therapy Dogs to not only recruit new volunteers with suitable dogs, but also provide comprehensive training to ensure the safety, professionalism, and wellbeing of everyone involved—volunteers, dogs, and those they visit.
Delta’s model is both evidence-based and deeply human. Each team is trained to work in emotionally sensitive environments and prepared to respond to the needs of patients and residents with empathy and care. Hospital and aged care staff often share how the presence of therapy dogs also supports them by lifting spirits, strengthening relationships with patients, and reducing the emotional toll of their work.
This kind of impact can’t be measured only in numbers, though we’re proud of the reach: 400 new people every fortnight, across wards and care homes, now benefiting from warm interactions and joyful visits that brighten otherwise difficult days.
For us, this is about investing in connection. It’s about recognising that healing isn’t only about medicine, and care isn’t only clinical. Sometimes, healing begins with a quiet moment, a soft nudge, or a burst of laughter brought on by a wagging tail.
We are proud to support Delta Therapy Dogs and to play a part in expanding their work in our community.
To learn more or to support their programs, visit deltasociety.com.au/therapy-dogs.