Gold Coast Police are using shelter dogs that have a particular talent for breaking down barriers and changing behaviour in disengaged youth.
This follows a partnership between the Queensland Police Service (QPS), the Animal Welfare League Queensland (AWLQ) and the Department of Children, Youth Justice and Multicultural Affairs.
Participants in the program learn how to teach dogs essential skills to make them more adoptable, giving young participants the opportunity to learn practical, reward-based dog training skills within an animal shelter environment.
Acting Police Sergeant, Zoe Tidswell said attendees learned to identify and alleviate stress in the animals and teach them behaviour that made them more desirable for adoption, such as obeying commands to sit, drop and stay.
“In return, the participants develop a sense of responsibility, connectedness to their community, self-esteem, problem-solving skills and empathy,” A/Sergeant Tidswell said.
She has been the main driver of the program and said she had witnessed the skills and confidence gained by the participants, along with their reduced risk of engaging in anti-social and criminal behaviour.
A/Sergeant Tidswell said the first program ran for a four-week period last year, with overwhelmingly positive results.
“The kids opened up and engaged fully with the program. It was great to see them actually being kids again,” she said.
“The positive effect has continued well beyond the immediate program. The behaviour of the three students has changed from minimal attendance at school to highly engaged, and their school results have improved.”
On the back of this success, Gold Coast Police ran a second program, extended to a five-week period, with all six participants attending every session and graduating from the program at the end of March.
