WHO LET THE DOGS IN Canine-assisted therapy plans a comeback
Lindsay Garvey
Suzanne Lavallee, president and founder of Stellina, with Margaux, her female Belgian Malinois.
8 | INSIDE NAPA VALLEY
JESSICA ZIMMER
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s pandemic restrictions ease, nonprofits that offer canine-assisted therapy are looking to return to schools, hospitals, and nursing homes. Board members are applying new best practices to ensure the safety of dogs, volunteers, and people visiting with the dogs. “We did not hurry into this. Our goal is to make sure the experience is safe for everyone. Measures to protect the community include special sprays after a visit, a disposable paper pad on a person’s lap, and hand sanitizer for the volunteer who is involved,” said Sara DeCrevel, board president of Napa-based Paws for Healing. Paws for Healing trains dogs and volunteers and provides canine-assisted therapy in Napa, Solano, and Sonoma counties. The organization typically has over 200 active teams visiting rehabilitation centers, mental health facilities, veteran’s facilities, senior care residences, and hospice and career support groups. Its Paws for Reading teams, which encourage children to read to dogs, visit public libraries and schools. In mid-July, Paws for Healing started allowing a volunteer to bring one to two dogs a week to an assisted living facility in Napa. “We’re tip-toeing into this situation by having the dogs in a common area for people with dementia. Residents come out one at a time to pet and spend time with the dogs,” said DeCrevel. A volunteer offered a preview of the visits a week prior by doing a walk-through of the facility with the dogs. Residents could see the dogs from their doorways as the volunteers introduced themselves and the animals. DeCrevel said precautions include bathing the dogs before visits with chlorhexidine shampoo. Chlorhexidine, an antiseptic, kills germs on skin but does not negatively affect skin and hair. Volunteers also spray and wipe the dogs with a chlorhexidine solution Please see Canine, Page 10
SUMMER/FALL 2021
