'Great emotional support animals': Zebra Centre welcomes new facility dog Cajun

The Zebra Centre welcomed a new four-legged team member on Friday. Cajun was introduced as the centre’s newest facility dog.

The centre, which helps children who have dealt with abuse or witnessed crime connect with resources and personnel to overcome their trauma, says their team of facility dogs is the most popular part of their program.

“As soon as a dog walks into the room, you can just see them relax. And sometimes all they need is just having this wonderful four-legged guy right beside them just to kind of comfort them,” said Emmy Stuebing of the Zebra Centre. “Sometimes they talk to the dogs if they’re not ready to talk to people.”

Cajun (foreground) poses with Zebra Centre facility dogs Fletcher and Captain. (John Hanson/CTV News Edmonton)

Cajun is the third dog at the centre, joining existing facility dogs Captain and Fletcher.

Miranda Jordan-Smith of Dogs With Wings, who trained Cajun, said the dogs go through an intense process to prepare for their important jobs.

“Cajun knows over 250 skills, 60 commands, some of which include retrieving objects, picking up objects, kneeling down, also touch therapy, adaptive to lots of different environments,” she said.

“They’re very calm, and just highly adaptable dogs, and great emotional support animals.”

Stuebing says Cajun couldn’t have arrived at a better time. The centre supported more than 3,800 children in 2021, a new record.

“Our number one area is sexual abuse, it’s unfortunately the top area that kids are experiencing,” she said.

“They can make an incredible difference in supporting children in their courage to tell their story, whether it’s in a forensic interview or at the courthouse, or anywhere in between where they just need a bit of extra support.”

And the dogs don’t just provide support for children at the centre.

“Our staff and volunteers, if they’ve had a really rough day, you can imagine, the amazing team at Zebra, every day they’re hearing and helping these kids, so the dogs do help our staff too.”