Therapy dogs help Canada Games athletes feel at home
Dogs help athletes stay calm after intense competitions
Young athletes at the Canada Games may be far from their families and home, but they won't be far from love — the four-legged kind.
For the first time in the history of the Canada Summer Games, therapy dogs are joining the athletes' village to help them relax.
"It's well-known that pets and pet therapy is something that can be very important to someone's life," said Jeff Hnatiuk, president and CEO of the 2017 Canada Summer Games Host Society.
"It gives them that maybe stress-free and mental break from the rigours of their training and their competition."
St. John's Ambulance is bringing dogs of all shapes and sizes to the athletes' village starting Monday evening and they will continue to visit athletes throughout the remainder of the Games.
The Games run until Aug. 13 in Winnipeg.