Community Therapy Dogs Society

Founded in 2013 and registered as a charity in 2015, Community Therapy Dogs Society (CTDS) has grown into a trusted volunteer-led organization providing therapy dog visits across Calgary and surrounding communities.

CTDS recruits, assesses, and coordinates volunteer therapy dog teams to deliver safe, compassionate, and meaningful visits throughout Calgary and surrounding communities (Airdrie, Chestermere, Cochrane, Langdon and Strathmore). Through partnerships with schools, seniors’ residences, hospitals, community organizations, and workplaces, CTDS brings comfort, connection, and emotional support to people where they are.

The organization is volunteer-driven, with a small operating structure and a growing need for sustainable administrative, coordination, and fund development capacity. CTDS is currently strengthening its systems, communications, volunteer engagement, and long-term planning to meet increasing community demand while protecting service quality.

Our Mission:
CTDS adds value to people's lives and enhances the well-being of our clients using positive interactions with our therapy dogs.

We do this via our core programs delivered with communication, compassion and care in Calgary and surrounding communities.

Our Vision:
CTDS envisions improved quality of life in our communities through dog therapy.

Our Programs
Listening Tails:
Supports children’s literacy, confidence, and comfort by providing a calm, non-judgmental reading environment with a therapy dog team.
The success of Listening Tails comes from the simple but powerful connection between children and dogs. Reading to a therapy dog helps children feel more comfortable, encouraged, and confident as they read.

Visiting Tails:
Provides visits in seniors’ residences, hospitals, and care settings, supporting connection, comfort, companionship, and quality of life.
Therapy dog visits offer comfort not only to patients, but also to families, caregivers, and healthcare staff. For many, a visit from a therapy dog provides a welcome pause, a sense of normalcy, and a gentle source of emotional support in an otherwise stressful environment.

Caring Tails:
Supports students experiencing exam stress or ongoing anxiety, individuals coping with a difficult life event, or families and communities recovering after trauma or loss. Whether the need is short-term support or a calming presence during an especially stressful time, therapy dog visits can help create a sense of ease, safety, and emotional connection.

Community Events & Special Visits:
Community Therapy Dogs Society is proud to participate in community events that help raise awareness, build connection, and share the positive impact of therapy dog visits. From local markets and information fairs to school, libraries, seniors and community wellness events, our volunteers and their dogs help create moments of comfort, conversation and joy. These events also give us the opportunity to connect with new volunteers, community partners, donors and supporters who share our belief in Helping People, One Dog at a time.

You can find out more about CTDS at https://www.ctds.ca