A friendly face, a wagging tail and a few moments of companionship can make a big difference in someone’s day.
That is the heart of Chimo Animal Assisted Wellness and Learning Society (CAAWLS) Workplace Wellness program, which brings dogs and their handlers into downtown Edmonton to create more welcoming, relaxed and connected spaces for the community.
“The main goal is just to bring joy and make the spaces more relaxed and welcoming,” says Jeffrey Friend, director of operations at CAAWLS.
That mission often starts with a simple hello. A quick visit with a wellness dog can spark conversations between strangers, helping reduce stress and create connections in shared public spaces.
The program began three years ago with visits to Churchill Square and around Edmonton City Centre Mall before expanding into the pedway system. Today, the dogs visit the Stanley A. Milner Library, walk through the pedways of City Centre Mall and continue underground to the Churchill Square LRT station, where they meet commuters, visitors and downtown workers.
Through partnerships with the Stanley A. Milner Library and the City of Edmonton’s Community Safety and Well-being Framework, as well as support from the Downtown Action Plan Fund, CAAWLS wellness dogs visit the downtown core two days a week, giving visitors, commuters and library patrons the opportunity to stop, say hello to the dogs and their handlers and enjoy a positive interaction during their day.
How to say hello
Unlike service animals, the wellness dogs are there specifically to interact with the public. Friend encourages visitors to practice good dog etiquette in general, which would be to stop, say hello to the handler and ask if they can pet the wellness dog.
The wellness dogs can typically be identified by a green bandana or green attachment on their leash, which lets people know they are available for friendly interaction and are not service animals.
Building connection in downtown spaces
For many people, a chance encounter with a wellness dog can become the highlight of an otherwise ordinary day.
“We often are told how amazing it is to see one of the dogs and what a great program it has been,” says Friend.
Visitors regularly share with the CAAWLS team how much they needed an interaction with a wellness dog during difficult personal moments. Two instances the team recalls include a wellness dog helping a woman get through the day of her son’s court appearance and another through the anniversary of her mother’s passing.
There have also been plenty of lighter moments, from newcomers to Canada asking to take photos with the dogs to regular library visitors stopping by for a chat and a pet.
A welcoming presence at the library
Following two years of wellness dog visits around Churchill Square and Edmonton City Centre, CAAWLS partnered with the Stanley A. Milner Library to pilot wellness dog visits inside the library.
During the two-month pilot, staff and patrons quickly noticed a positive difference in the atmosphere of the space. Some visitors even began asking library staff when the dogs would be there so they could plan their visits around the schedule.
Following the pilot, the library chose to extend the program until at least the end of 2026.
“We’ve had the dogs join story times with kids, and parents have mentioned they will try to make sure they visit with their kids on days the dogs are there,” says Friend.
Plan your visit
Looking for a chance to meet a CAAWLS wellness dog? Visits take place at two downtown locations:
Stanley A. Milner Library
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
2 to 3 p.m.
Wellness dogs and their handlers move throughout the library during their visits. If you are not sure where they are located, ask the front desk team and they can help direct you to the dogs.
City Centre Mall pedways and the underground Churchill Square LRT station
Tuesdays and Wednesdays
3:45 to 4:45 p.m.
During these visits, wellness dogs and their handlers walk through the pedways and LRT station area. There is no designated meeting spot, so commuters and visitors are most likely to encounter dogs while moving through the area.
Creating a more welcoming downtown
For CAAWLS, the impact of the program comes from the everyday moments it creates — a brief break for a commuter, a calming experience for a library visitor or a conversation between people who may not have connected otherwise.
The downtown wellness dog visits are just one part of CAAWLS’ work across the Edmonton region. The organization also delivers programs in schools, post-secondary institutions, seniors housing communities, social service organizations and workplaces, helping connect people with the benefits of animal-assisted wellness in a variety of settings.
Donations help CAAWLS continue operating and expanding these programs, and the organization also welcomes new volunteers. Many programs run during weekday daytime hours, which may work best for people with flexible schedules, but there are many ways to support the organization’s work.
To learn more about CAAWLS and its wellness dog program, visit the CAAWLS website.