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The Chimo Project concept was founded in 1999, by Dennis Anderson, who was the President of the Canadian Mental Health Association in Alberta, at that time. The Chimo Project was named after Dennis's animal friend "Chimo," a Blue Heeler/Labrador cross. Dennis had personally experienced the psychological benefits of human-animal interactions, and aspired to obtain evidence that animals may be beneficial in the treatment of persons with mental health concerns. The name "Chimo" comes from the Inuit toast to "good cheer", which is what the project hoped to bring to those suffering from mental illness. Three organizations formed the original Chimo Advisory committee: 1) The Canadian Mental Health Association; 2) The Edmonton Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals; and 3) The Pet Therapy Society of Northern Alberta. This committee, with the advice of therapists, developed the backbone for the original research project. In 2001, The Chimo Project received financial support from the Alberta Health and Wellness' Health Innovation Fund. This eighteen-month reseacrch project was initiated to prove the mental health benefits of using animals in therapy. A professional advisory committee (with various therapists, animal experts, and a lawyer) and a general advisory committee (with representatives from the founding organizations) provided insight for the research project. The Project also received approval from The Health Research Ethics Board at the University of Alberta. --> One of the goals of The Chimo Project research project, was to identify various ways that animals could effectively be used in the treatment of mental illness. There were limited scientific studies conducted to determine the effectiveness of Animal-Assisted Therapy. It was anticipated that information obtained from the research project would be useful in developing curricula on using Animal-Assisted Therapy as an adjunct to other therapeutic modalities. It was also hoped that the results would be useful in helping to set up Animal-Assisted Therapy programs in conjunction with various mental health facilities. |
