Our first 10 years
date: 06.08.2017
category: News
For Tačke pomagačke (Helping Paws) 6 August represents a significant milestone, a milestone that marks ten years of our existence, voluntary work, achievements, memories, leaving tracks, etc. Ten years from the time when the first therapy pairs of our society began officially (it had already functioned informally and under a different name for some years earlier) to break fresh ground in Slovenian institutions in the field of introducing dog assisted therapy.
For Tačke pomagačke (Helping Paws) 6 August represents a significant milestone, a milestone that marks ten years of our existence, voluntary work, achievements, memories, leaving tracks, etc. Ten years from the time when the first therapy pairs of our society began officially (it had already functioned informally and under a different name for some years earlier) to break fresh ground in Slovenian institutions in the field of introducing dog assisted therapy.
In the first years our predecessors frequently encountered doubt and distrust. Many did not accept the assurance that dogs can be exceptional co-therapists in the process of treatment and rehabilitation and a strong support especially for those with special needs. That confidence in our work has grown and spread among different institutions can only be attributed to their boldness and perseverance. In the first years only a handful of institutions had the desire and courage to offer their clients dog assisted therapies. But now we operate in more than 100 institutions throughout Slovenia (see www.tackepomagacke.si – Where we work).
The number of members, i.e. therapy pairs with appropriate professional and kinological training, in the society has gradually grown. At present we number 62 therapy pairs and 8 trainee pairs. In the ten years of our activities we have carried out over 11,000 hours of voluntary work, despite the fact that in the first five years there were on average only about 20 therapy pairs. And those 11,000 hours must be multiplied by at least the number three. This is because for each hour of voluntary work the handler of a therapy dog needs on average at least two additional hours of preparation. Thus in ten years we Tačke pomagačke members have actually given over 33,000 hours of our free time to voluntary work.
In these years over 40,000 clients have been included in different programmes of dog assisted therapy. It is not possible to measure or enter into their satisfaction, joy, improvement, progress in their psycho-physical state of health, etc. For the society’s members, however, this is the most precious reward, for which we work with still greater pleasure.
Tačke pomagačke members have also dedicated scores of hours to acquiring appropriate professional and kinological knowledge. Since our work can only proceed along with good cooperation from professional workers, we have organized many training seminars covering the fundamentals of work with a therapy dog. Over 200 professional workers from different fields (occupational therapists, psychologists, teachers, etc.) have participated in these.
For the successful development of the society and dog assisted therapy a considerable share of merit must be attributed to the sponsors and donors who have supported us in the past or do so at present. Our thanks to each of you, especially the Thoolen Foundation Vaduz, Zavarovalnica Triglav, the Arctur firm and the Hofer company. Our thanks also to all who designate 0.5% of your income to us, and all who throughout these ten years have given us moral support or helped in any other way.
It is not possible to enumerate you all. And thanks to our faithful dogs for your friendliness, warmth, pluck, and other qualities, which you selflessly bestow on us and others, and of course, sincere thanks to all the Tačke volunteers for being what you are. Together we work “miracles”.
Slavica Mrkun, President of the Society
