The therapy dogs of Toowoomba cuddling and helping clients

Meet Toowoomba’s cutest and cuddliest practitioners helping people of all ages around town

Nothing has the ability to heal a heart like time spent cuddling a dog.

For Sarah Laird, 15, who lives with Osteogenesis Imperfecta – a genetic condition which causes brittle bones, attending Animal Instincts Australia for the past 12 months has been life-changing.

Client Sarah Laird with rescue therapy dog Gal. Picture: Rhylea Millar

And for September - Dog Therapy Awareness month - she wants to show the world the importance of canines to therapy of all types.

After receiving five major leg surgeries in the past two years, Sarah struggled to get the motivation to attend her physiotherapy appointments, but discovered the benefits of dog therapy to her physical and mental health.

“Coming to the farm and seeing the dogs really lifts my mood and gives me something to look forward to,” she said.

“I’ve been in quite a lot of pain but when I set my mind to something, I always try to give it my all and (dog therapy) has really helped me.”

(from left) client Sarah Laird, Georgie the rescue therapy dog and Animal Instincts Australia director Hayley Chambers. Picture: Rhylea Millar

Providing mental health and disability support, animal therapy assists with the reduction of stress and anxiety, as well as enhancing confidence, self-esteem, valuable life skills and physical mobility.

Animal Instincts Australia director Hayley Chambers said the progression she’d seen in Sarah since she started animal therapy was incredible.

“When Sarah first arrived for individual sessions, we could barely get a word out of her – now, she’s always chatting to us, telling us stories and she’s progressed to group sessions too,” Ms Chambers said.

“She’s a very determined young lady and she’s not one to sit down and say poor me – she’s very quick to get up, get her hands dirty and get going again.”

Sarah dreams to work with animals when she graduates from high school.

Animal Instincts Australia has been running for the past 17 years, relocated to Gowrie Junction 12 months ago and offers various forms of animal therapy.

Judith Predebon and Pete Hovey from Schnauzerhaus Psychotherapy Practice with Schnauzers Dr Vestas and Clark Gable. Thursday, September 29, 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

At North Toowoomba psychotherapy practice Schnauzerhaus, clients as young as five and old as 78 come to see Judith Predebon and her two clinically trained helpers Dr Vestas and Clark Gable.

The three have done everything from regular counselling sessions to providing company at court for juvenile offenders, with each client matched perfectly to a practitioner.

“Dr Vestas is very laid back, he’s more gentle. He works with older clients but I’ve been using him with some kids that are very hyperactive because he’s so calm,” Ms Predebon said.

“I use Clark with lots of little cheeky boys … He’s very well trained but he’s just got that liveliness.”

Judith Predebon from Schnauzerhaus Psychotherapy Practice with Schnauzers Clark Gable and Dr Vestas. Thursday, September 29, 2022. Picture: Nev Madsen.

After undergoing almost 50 hours of training, Dr Vestas and Gable were recognised as clinical professionals and have helped clients with PTSD and autism and more open up in sessions since 2019.

“There was a little boy that would not even be in the same room as the dogs … he kept saying: “I can hear them, I can hear them!” Ms Predebon said.

“By the end he was hugging and cuddling them.”