Bandit the therapy dog helping people through the tough times
BY LERISSE SMITH
He is affectionately named Bandit – and is one chilled dude.
He loves nothing more than unwinding after a hard day’s work, enjoying an afternoon siesta, and mingling with others. In fact, he’s well known for being a calming presence at hospitals, a silent comfort at funerals, and a crowd favourite at The Salvation Army’s annual Red Shield Appeal.
However, Bandit is not just your everyday guy.
He happens to be a two-foot-tall, black-and-white six-year-old Border Collie therapy dog with an uncanny ability to connect with people from all walks of life. At SalvoConnect in Barwon (Vic.), he’s making a significant impact on the lives of others by helping to calm fears, soothe daily stressors, and be a faithful companion through tough times.
And his owner could not be prouder.
“He is really special, intelligent, placid and devoted, one out of the box!” says Anne Cotsell, who is the Community Chaplain at SalvoConnect [a service for people experiencing homelessness or at risk of homelessness]. “He is not a licky dog. He just walks into a room, circles around, sums things up and then sits with the people.”
Anne has been with the Salvos for more than 30 years, transitioning to her current chaplaincy role at SalvoConnect eight years ago. Both she and fellow chaplain Major Colin Eldridge support programs aiding those facing life challenges. After COVID, they found tensions increased among some vulnerable individuals, and there was a need to ease the stress in the building’s reception areas.
“We had some awful periods where we were calling the police quite regularly,” Anne reflects.
“It got really quite to the point where we had to have a security guard here. If you’ve got women who have come from family violence, and you have this big guard here, it’s not a good look. So, I just sort of thought there must be a way you can tone things down a little bit without making obvious knee-jerk reactions to things.”
And that’s when Bandit came into the picture in April last year.
It was a serendipitous moment when Anne’s sister, who breeds Border Collies, gave Anne a beautiful black and white one named Bandit, who was being retired as a breeding dog because his coat colouring wasn’t right for the current market.
At first, Anne had not thought of Bandit as a therapy dog, but his calm, gentle and laid-back demeanour quickly caught her attention, especially as she’s always had Border Collies.
“He’s just so gentle, so I thought, gee, he might make a nice therapy dog,” Anne explains. “He’s pretty chilled by Collie standards.”
After a six-month probation with Colin and Anne in the office, Bandit passed with flying colours (despite not being good with lifts!) and went on to complete his professional dog therapy training course.
Since then, Bandit’s presence has been a game-changer.
He’s become a vital part of their work with clients and those experiencing difficult and challenging life issues.
Bandit also proudly wears a special little coat with The Salvation Army shield and ‘Therapy Dog’ standing out in vivid purple. Anne recalled how Doorways program clients first noticed the Collie sitting underneath her desk in the initial six months of his new role.
“They would reach down and pat him,” she said. “And you could feel or see their body relax. It was just incredible.”
Since that time, he has become a much-loved and critical member of the team.
Bandit accompanies Anne, who is also a Justice of the Peace, to visit people in hospitals and aged care homes. The patients and residents love him and find the beloved Collie as a source of great comfort. As soon as Bandit enters a hospital, the nurses smile and their demeanour changes. Often, the interaction with patients will lead to people talking about their own pets and sharing personal stories.
And the therapeutic benefits of Anne and Bandit’s presence have touched many lives.
“They don’t see a uniform per se.” Anne reflected. “They see someone with a uniform and a dog.”
“We have been to three funerals of some dear people, and Bandit was excellent.”
One memorable moment Anne remembered was when she was asked to visit a man in hospital with brain cancer. She sought permission to take her beloved Collie along, too.
“Bandit just sat next to him while we did some paperwork in my role as JP,” she said. “And the man just patted him. We have done that a few times in the hospitals.”
Funerals are also another area in which the pet therapy dog’s presence has been of comfort.
“We have been to three funerals of some dear people, and Bandit was excellent,” she said. “The family came up and said to me, “That is lovely you brought him.”
His foray into the public arena has also expanded to attending church a few times, too. He has embarrassed Anne when continuing to roll over on the floor during the service – but no one has minded.
While Bandit is dearly loved in the office, Anne takes him home each lunchtime and is dedicated to his ongoing care, which includes pricey dental visits. “It was my commitment,” she said. “And to those around me. I am sure the Lord put Bandit in my way.”
