Regent Pool hosted Regina’s first-ever dog swim on Monday.
Taking part in the swim is seven-year-old Mia, a pure-bred Golden Retriever who works with refugee children as a service dog for the Open Door Society.
“The kids love her,” said Kathleen Donauer, Mia’s owner. “For those that are absolutely terrified of dogs, she will just lay there and then we introduce her them to petting her gently and she is just so gentle with the kids.”
But for Mia, Monday is all about having fun. The Golden Retriever is one of Regina's first dogs to be allowed to swim in a Queen City public pool.
Several cities in Canada, including Saskatoon, open up their public pools to dogs at the end of the summer before the pools are drained, and now Regina is joining in on the fun.
According to the Regina Humane Society's animal protection services, a day at the pool is beneficial for all dogs.
"It's a great social experience and the dogs we are meeting new dogs here for the first time,” said Officer Crossley of Animal Protection. “It's great exercise as swimming is for everybody. If you're an older dog and you have arthritis or joint issues, it's a low impact sport for a dog.”
As for Gracie, a nine-year-old therapy dog with St. John Ambulance, taking a dip in the pool is a fresh experience.
"I mean it's good exercise, especially since she's really slowed down a bit in these last few months,” said Greg Longman, Gracie’s owner. “It's certainly not showing today."
And the same goes for Gracie’s puppy pal, Mia.
"(Mia’s) never been in a pool, so we didn't know how she would react, but she’s a retriever so she likes water," explained Donauer.
And while it might not have been the best weather to soak up the last dog days of summer, for these working canines, it was a well-deserved day off.
Based on a report by CTV Regina’s Cally Stephanow
