Mission
CAAWLS' mission is to improve the mental wellness of people by Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) through the human animal bond. We aim to provide education to volunteers, clients and the community on AAI and canine behaviour.
Vision
CAAWLS' vision is to be the service provider of choice for Animal Assisted Intervention services in Alberta.
Our story
ORGINS
CAAWLS was founded in 2014 as an offshoot of an existing program. 'The Chimo Project" was initially founded by Dennis Anderson, former President of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Alberta. The Chimo Project later became "Chimo Animal Assisted Therapy", and then "Chimo Animal Assisted Wellness and Learning Society".
CHIMO
Chimo was Dennis Anderson's Blue Heeler/Labrador cross. Dennis had personally experienced the psychological benefits of human-animal interactions, and he aspired to obtain evidence that animals are beneficial in the treatment of persons with mental health concerns. The name “Chimo” comes from the Inuit toast for “good cheer”, which is what CAAWLS hopes to bring to all of our clients.
Many individuals have seen the benefits of AAI at some point in their lives. At CAAWLS, we strive to bring those same benefits to as many people as we can. We work within various facilities in the education, health, and social services sectors, including grade schools, universities, seniors facilities, homeless shelters, corporate wellness events, and many more.