Perfectly coiffed and sporting a bowtie, Santa hat and glittery hooves, Pascal shows off his jump, wave and bow to residents at the Wales Home in Cleveland, Que.
He may not be a typical therapy animal, but the tiny nine-year-old horse has become a crowd favourite and one of the 50 animals working on rotation with the zoo animation organization, Toutous Poilus.
“He has lots of character,” owner Anne Caroline Coutu told CBC at the end of November. “The capacity to connect with people, heart to heart, as we call it.
“Seeing him is sort of magical.”
Pascal has been trained to wave and give kisses to residents. At the Wales Home, staff says the animals allow staff to better connect. (Rachel Watts/CBC)
Together, the owner, animal troupe and volunteers offer emotional support at residences, long-term care homes and hospitals. They’re booked nearly every day in Quebec’s Eastern Townships and greater Montreal area.
Twenty-odd animals — guinea pigs, doves, cats, bunnies and dogs — accompany Pascal at any given time, but he remains the star of the show, says Coutu.
Animals remind residents of ‘time spent at home’
Polly McClure Gifford was transported back to her childhood when Pascal pattered down the hallway of her care home — stopping just short of her wheelchair.
He reminded McClure Gifford of her big family farm and the pony her sister adored, years ago.
WATCH | Pascal the mini horse is a crowd favourite:
Meet the tiny horse who’s a superstar in Quebec care homes
Pascal, the nine-year-old miniature horse, stands at just under two and a half feet tall. He’s part of an organization that brings animals to a variety of spaces to allow people to engage in a sensory and social experience.
“She wanted that pony to come in the house and sit and eat with us,” recalled McClure Gifford, adding that it was a non-starter for her mom.
“It brings back memories,” she said, looking at the dozens of animals walking, lying and flying.
Pascal is one of the 50 animals working on rotation with the zoo-animation organization, Toutous Poilus. (Rachel Watts/CBC)
The animals visit about once a month, says Lysanne Hamel, the activities co-ordinator at Wales Home. Located in a small town about 150 kilometres east of Montreal, many of the care home’s residents miss having animals of their own, she says.
“We’re out in the country here and most of them lived on a farm and when they decided to come move in … they had to depart with either cats, dogs or animals, so it’s kind of like grieving too,” she said.
“So for them to be able to see them again, pet them, it kind of reminisces good memories and time spent at home.”
Lysanne Hamel, the activities co-ordinator at Wales Home, says the animals bring back fond memories for residents. (Rachel Watts/CBC)
She says the animals also allow staff to connect with residents.
The benefits of Toutous Poilus inspired her so much that she approached Coutu, Pascal’s owner, about writing a picture book about the travelling therapy animal troupe — getting it illustrated by her neighbour.
Lily Courtepointe — titled after one of the company’s guinea pigs — was published by Hamel in the fall.
Pascal rolled over to scratch his back on the floor at the Wales Home, inciting exclaims from some residents. (Rachel Watts/CBC)
10 to 12 sessions per week across Quebec
Jean Coates, who moved into the care home with her husband last year, says she’s not much of an animal lover.
“But I might change after today,” she joked, as a grey dove sat perched on her head, and a small chicken lay on the table in front of her.
“I just can’t get over that,” she said, giggling, pointing at a bird sitting still on Pascal’s rear end.
Jean Coates giggled as a bird sat pirched on her head. She didn’t grow up with animals of her own, but says she might become an animal lover now. (Rachel Watts/CBC)
The horse’s patience and ability to follow instruction took a fair bit of training, says Coutu.
She started working with him quickly after she won the small horse on a Quebec game show in 2016.
Training him to interact with what she calls urban stressors, Coutu would dress him up and bring him to noisy environments to desensitize him to sounds and sights he might come into contact with while volunteering. Not only is Pascal heavily remunerated with treats and back scratches, Coutu says she respects the horse’s boundaries and need to rest and stay home.
Before she had a growing business, she says she witnessed the therapeutic benefits of animals first hand with her dad after his Alzheimer’s diagnosis.
When volunteers visited Polly McClure Gifford, left, with the variety of animals, she says she was transported back to her childhood. (Rachel Watts/CBC)
Coutu officially launched the organization Toutous Poilus in 2010. Since then, her business has ballooned and the organization relies on volunteers to offer 10 to 12 sessions per week across Quebec.
With many of the animals potty trained — including Pascal — they’re able to go inside health-care and residential spaces in a clean way, says Coutu.
Annie Lavariere, a longtime volunteer with Toutous Poilus, says the organization is able to take on so many requests in part because of the work behind the scenes — those helping with transport, cleaning, grooming and providing veterinary care.
She says it’s amazing to see what animals can do for people.
“Animals don’t judge. So whether you’re rich or poor, whether you’re in health or not, the animals just don’t care,” she said.
