Weyburn and surrounding area is now home to one of seven dogs in Canada that are part of the Pacific Assistance Dog Society (PADS) program, based out of Burnaby, B.C. PADS is a non-profit organization that breeds, raises, trains and provides assistance dogs to people living with physical disabilities. In addition, the PADS program trains dogs to work alongside professionals in what is referred to as the Canine Assistance Intervention Program. Intervention dogs are bred, raised and trained to calm, and be a well-mannered presence with those who are experiencing trauma, pain, illness and grief.
Beaumont is a two-and-a-half year-old black Labrador, which will be working alongside Tara Busch of Southeast Regional Victim Services. He will work as an intervention dog in Weyburn and Estevan police departments, as well as seven surrounding rural detachments.
Beaumont has received extensive training in the last two years. Typically, dogs are raised and socialized in public, by volunteers, from the time they are eight weeks old to roughly 16 months.
During that time, they learn approximately 30 commands that include basic obedience (sit, down, stand, etc.), positioning (heel, side, front, etc.) and building blocks of skill development (touch, target, tug, etc.).
As young adults, the dogs go through a vigourous assessment to ensure that they have the caliber of temperment and health required for an effective placement. During that assessment, PADS program trainers look for very specific traits required to be placed as a Canine Intervention Officer. Qualities required include a calm, quiet demeanor, willingness to engage with people of all ages and very importantly, the ability to release negative emotion that they may take on from those they are helping.
Beaumont, who is being handled by Busch, has already shown great promise. He knows 36 commands and recently provided support at the Court House.
“We actually did have him in court. We had him in a soft room previous to the witness testifying, and after, and it actually went very, very well”, commented Busch.
The Southeast Regional Victim Services is a police bases intervention program funded by Victims Services, Saskatchewan Justice. Their role is to aid victims of crime and traumatic events by providing information, advocacy, support and referral, as well as providing support throughout the criminal justice process. They are pleased and feel fortunate to have Beaumont as an addition to their team to help work with the victims.
For more information regarding the PADS program, visit www.pads.ca.
