The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) has launched a pilot implementation of its new program dubbed Angel Pets, in partnership with the Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS).
Angel Pets focuses on animal-assisted therapy.
During the Nov. 16 launch, a team of volunteer dogs or the so-called Dr. Dogs from PAWS visited young girls at the Marillac Hills National Training School for Girls (NSTG) in Mandaluyong City.
DSWD Secretary Rex Gatchalian on his Facebook page said the event represented an innovative step to enhance the agency’s services for clients in its centers and residential care facilities.
“This program will bring the Doctor Dogs (emotional support dogs) of PAWS into our residential care facilities as another mode of emotional therapy for our clients who are victim-survivors of abuse, exploitation, and neglect,” he said.
The Angel Pets program aimed to facilitate the rehabilitation and reintegration of vulnerable groups through the incorporation of positive and enjoyable interactions with animals into therapeutic and supportive processes.
The Dr. Dogs will play a crucial role in implementing the program.
Such initiative has a proven track record of providing the therapeutic benefits of animal interactions to hospitals, disability centers, homes for the young and elderly, orphanages and schools, the DSWD stressed.
Helen Suzara, DSWD’s Social Technology Bureau director, said the meet-and-greet session between the pets and the Marillac residents has served as a warm-up activity and a preview for the program’s upcoming sessions.
“This is where we basically bring together our beneficiaries and partners so that they can get-to-know each other, and build connections through activities we co-arranged with PAWS,” Suzara said.
She thanked PAWS and well as the owners of the volunteer dogs for making the first session a delightful experience for the agency’s clients.
“Thank you to our doctor dogs, for our fur-moms, fur-daddies, salamat for taking time out to be with us, and our girls really enjoined,” she cited.
The Marillac Hills-NSTG facility provides residential care and rehabilitation for minor girls aged seven to 17 who are survivors of sexual abuse or human trafficking, as well as children in conflict with the law.
The Dr. Dogs program will visit the center next month.
