PUBLISHED ONOctober 12, 2024 1:00 AMByBhavya RawatTo mark World Mental Health Day on Oct 10, AsiaOne shines the spotlight on mental health advocates and looks at how Singaporeans cope with mental health issues in their lives.
Adele Lau has a notable background, having completed her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Law and held roles in the National Parks Board and Agri-food and Veterinary Authority.
But the 33-year-old founder and director of non-profit organisation The Dogtors left it all behind in 2022 to pursue her true passion: animal-assisted interaction and interventions (AAI).
Adele now runs various AAI programmes for vulnerable groups, some alongside her four-year-old labradoodle Skai.
AAI involves including animals in various services that benefit humans and improve their quality of life.
Examples of AAI include recreational or educational activities and therapy involving animals and handlers who meet certain criteria and have been trained for such interactions with members of the public.
Speaking to AsiaOne while conducting one such programme, Adele said that she had always wanted to work with animals and had planned to do so.
Adele was initially preparing to attend veterinary school in Sydney, but ended up going to law school at her parents' insistence.
"You know... Asian parents... They wanted me to study something safer," she said with a laugh.
Despite this, Adele's love for animals only continued to grow during her university days as she pursued various certifications regarding animal health and behaviour outside of her curriculum.
In fact, her interest in AAI was first piqued when she heard about prison reform programmes in the US that allow inmates to spend time with animals while serving their sentence.
These programmes were "an intersection between law and animals, specifically dogs", said Adele.
"At one point... I wanted to have court dogs... for emotional support for victims who have suffered abuse - especially children."
"But [the idea] is still really far away for Singapore. So, I thought I could start with something simpler," she added.
Adele explained that she started The Dogtors with the vision of providing support for vulnerable groups, which she identifies as the elderly, those with disabilities and healthcare workers through AAI.
Adele's journey, however, was not always smooth sailing.
"Moving from a stable job to a very niche area, which hasn't really been done in Singapore, in a full-time role has been quite difficult," Adele told AsiaOne.
"A lot of people were very sceptical. They said we wouldn't make it."
"The instability in income was also something I had trouble with at the start," she added.
Despite the challenges, Adele loves and has immense passion for what she does.
"Animals, particularly dogs, have an incredible ability to impact our mental health and social interactions," she said.
"Studies have shown that interacting with dogs can lower cortisol levels, reduce stress, and release oxytocin — often called the 'love hormone'— which promotes feelings of trust and connection."
"In social situations, having a dog present can be a bridge, helping people open up and feel more comfortable, especially in challenging environments [like] when we are in sessions with youth at risk, students with special needs or tired and burnt out caregivers."
When asked what the best part of running The Dogtors is, she said: "Being able to see dogs every day and seeing how people benefit from our programmes."
"We get a lot of stories about how people feel a lot better, emotionally and mentally, by participating in our programmes and realise that they learn a lot about themselves during these interactions," she added.
The dogs that Adele and her team work with are usually not called therapy dogs. Instead, they are referred to as visiting dogs that go through screening and training for AAI.
Adele explained that the dogs could only be called therapy dogs when accompanied by a professional in a structured, medical setting.
The Dogtors' screening process involves testing how sociable the dogs are and whether they are comfortable with new people and spaces.
It also ensures that the dogs' owners, who double up as handlers during most of The Dogtors' programmes, can identify signs of distress in their dogs and advocate for them, as well as communicate effortlessly with participants to enhance their experience.
While interviewing Adele on Sept 19, AsiaOne got to sit in for one of her AAI programmes, Dogtors on Call, at the Singapore General Hospital (SGH).
The event was split into four 15-minute sessions for groups of staff at SGH to interact and play with dogs during their lunch break.
Five dogs, accompanied by their owners, were stationed at various spots in a spacious room, which gave them plenty of space to walk around and play.
Each session started with a quick briefing by Adele to lay down some ground rules before the participants rushed over to interact with the dogs.
The room was filled with excited chatter as participants fed the dogs treats, gave them pets and posed for photos.
Some of the dogs were having the time of their lives while being showered with newfound attention. One golden retriever named Miso fell asleep while multiple participants petted him, even drooling on the floor.
Some others, like another goldie named Bosco, got a little overstimulated after a few sessions, Adele noticed.
She leapt into action, guiding participants to play with one of the other dogs while she brought Bosco out for some fresh air.
When the two returned, Bosco was back to his energetic, cheerful self and greeted participants excitedly.
To this day, Adele continues to pursue courses on animal behaviour and psychology to ensure that her programmes run smoothly and continue benefiting both humans and dogs.
"It's very important to look out for the welfare of the dogs, and sometimes we need a bit of behaviour modification training for our programmes, so [the courses] help," she explained.
When asked how she juggled the various programmes that she organises alongside her courses, Adele said: "Thankfully, I do have a really good team and a supportive family as well."
Adele and her dog Skai's contributions have recently been recognised by PropertyGuru's Heartland Heroes initiative.
The pair have improved the mental well-being of the elderly and youth at risk in their neighbourhood of Bukit Panjang through AAI programmes.
Stating that she (and Skai) was honoured to have been named a heartland hero, Adele promised to continue making a meaningful impact on the neighbourhood through The Dogtors' programmes.
"It's very heartwarming to see our efforts being recognised in such a meaningful way, and we were very excited to see the poster of Skai at the bus stop!" she said.
bhavya.rawat@asiaone.com
