Pascal, a perfectly coiffed nine year old miniature horse sporting a bowtie, Santa hat, and glittery hooves, has become the star attraction among 50 therapy animals working with Quebec’s Toutous Poilus zoo animation organization. The tiny horse shows off his repertoire of jumps, waves, and bows to delighted residents at care homes across Quebec’s Eastern Townships and greater Montreal area, creating magical moments that transport people back to cherished memories. Owner Anne Caroline Coutu says Pascal has an incredible capacity to connect with people heart to heart, and together with twenty other animals including guinea pigs, doves, cats, bunnies, and dogs, they provide emotional support at residences, long term care homes, and hospitals nearly every day. When Pascal pattered down the hallway at Wales Home in Cleveland, Quebec, she was immediately transported back to her childhood on the family farm and the pony her sister desperately wanted to bring inside the house to eat with them.
Activities coordinator Lysanne Hamel says many residents miss having animals of their own after moving from farms into care facilities, making the monthly visits from Pascal’s troupe incredibly meaningful as residents grieve the loss of their beloved pets. Coutu won Pascal on a Quebec game show in 2016 and quickly began training him to handle urban stressors by dressing him up and bringing him to noisy environments, desensitizing him to the sounds and sights he’d encounter while volunteering. The organization, which Coutu officially launched in 2010 after witnessing the therapeutic benefits animals provided her father following his Alzheimer’s diagnosis, now relies on volunteers to offer 10 to 12 sessions per week with many animals including Pascal being potty trained so they can safely enter healthcare spaces. Longtime volunteer Annie Lavariere says the magic happens because animals don’t judge whether someone is rich or poor, healthy or sick, they simply offer unconditional acceptance and love that creates powerful healing moments for everyone they meet.
Source: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/quebec-therapy-animal-horse-holiday-cheer-9.7021491
