As the situation regarding COVID-19 continues to take shape around Australia, Delta has established a comprehensive Safety Plan and Program Guidelines to keep our teams, animals, and community safe.
Delta’s COVID-19 Safety Plan aligns with national and state safety frameworks and includes Safety Practices covering Safety and Wellbeing of our People and Animals, Physical Distancing, Hygiene and Cleaning, Record Keeping, Communication and Reporting. The plan takes into consideration how a staged return to in-person activity impacts the Program Beneficiaries, along with seeking to minimise risks to Delta workers, including employees, contractors, volunteers, and students, as well as facilities and staff in accordance with Work Health and Safety Laws.
“While there is uncertainty in many aspects of our every day; we are committed to our social and economic recovery by supporting individuals and groups who have experienced isolation and other issues compounded by an unprecedented health crisis. The development of a comprehensive COVID-19 Safety Plan and Program Guidelines has been essential to the future of therapy dog visits around Australia. The team has worked together with the Delta Board to review national and state safety frameworks to ensure we serve our community safely.” – Melinda Farrell, CEO
To inform decisions about the continuity of in-person activity, Delta has implemented Program Guidelines for Classroom Canines, Dog Safe, Paws the Pressure, and Therapy Dogs. The Program Guidelines are responsive to the situations where a location or state has gone into lockdown or other restrictions have been applied. There are a set of Steps that determine the type of visit (digital or in-person) and the Safety Practices that apply to Therapy Dog Teams, Program Beneficiaries and Host Facilities. As we have seen from recent examples in Victoria; the need for a localised approach has also been needed. This means Delta will continue to review government and health mandates regularly and promptly communicate change to Therapy Dog Teams and Host Facilities in each state.
“As we have seen in the last few weeks; a different response is required for different parts of Australia where COVID-19 clusters have grown. It’s important for Delta to be alert to these changes and ensure we can adapt our services to the needs of the community while maintaining high standards of safety for all” – Kate Kyiet, National Program Manager, Therapy Dogs
Delta’s purpose of helping animals bring joy to people continues even during a period uncertainty and our Therapy Dog Teams are eager to provide comfort and a friendly presence to those who need it most.
If you have any questions, please contact our National Office at info@deltasociety.com.au and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.