The war in Ukraine continues to wreak havoc on millions of lives with those who who have been injured or mentally traumatised in the combat zone in need special medical care.
Four Paws
Global animal welfare organisation Four Paws has been offering Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) there since 2018 and has now developed a program where former stray dogs are selected and trained to become therapy dogs.
Originally create to change the way people perceive and treat strays, one therapy dog, Busia, is also providing emotional support and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) prevention to servicemen of the Armed Forces of Ukraine who received injuries and are currently in the hospital in Vinnytsia in central Ukraine.
Therapeutic support
“Busia performs her therapist tasks professionally and… provides valuable therapeutic support. She was… specially trained to respond to human reactions and very clearly identifies people who are tense, stressed or traumatised,” said Viktoriia Habryk, the Practical Psychologist at FOUR PAWS who works with Busia and the soldiers.
“She can bring a person out of such a state by licking their hands or touching them with her paw, which invites them to interact. The patients begin to pet her, hug her, and gradually calm down. Busia does not judge or evaluate, she gives unconditional love and comfort,” she added.
Veterans
Psychologists note that veterans who also work with dog therapists are recovering quicker and better.
Four Paws has been visiting displaced people from the east of the country in Vinnytsia since the beginning of the war and decided to offer support with therapy dogs.
The dog acts as a guide between the psychologist and the patient, creating a trusting, relaxing atmosphere. When patients feel safe with the dog, they open up.
“The main task of our work is to support and assist with the rehabilitation of the patients after they were exposed to hostilities, rescue operations, and got injured in order to prevent PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), which is already a psychiatric illness, Ms Habryk said.
Canine therapy
“If patients want to communicate but find it hard to do, it is in many cases easier with a dog than a human. Often we come to the hospital and notice that a person who hasn’t talked to anyone starts interacting with the dog after a short time.”
The list of conditions for which canine therapy can be effective includes stress, depression, crises, aggression, and hyperactivity. Interaction with the dog helps with social development, relieves anxiety, calms and relaxes.
Ukraine’s first former stray was Lisa, but she has now retired. Busia, a former stray dog from Lviv had the right qualities and passed the test with flying colors.
Four Paws runs AAI programs in Ukraine, Bulgaria and Romania.
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