Coming up with new and exciting enrichment ideas can be tricky and time consuming, however we have recently welcomed a new team of volunteers to help take the load off. In May 2019 Lone Pine partnered with the ‘Happy Paws Happy Hearts’ (HPHH) program to assist with our animal enrichment program, and they have been very busy!
Volunteers from HPHH have been coming out every week to help design, assemble, and deliver enrichment items to a range of animals, from guinea pigs to wombats and plenty in between.
Last week they helped us out with some seriously awesome goat enrichment including an assortment of hanging treats, feed pellets in recycled milk bottles and a climbing station to explore, all of which were a big hit.
Happy Paws Happy Hearts was started by two social entrepreneurs from Brisbane’s western suburbs and the organisation has essentially flipped the animal therapy world around. Instead of taking trained pets out to visit people in need, HPHH brings people together in teams to work with animals at rescue and conservation organisations in Queensland and New South Wales.
“Working with the wildlife at Lone Pine gives our participants an important understanding of our native environment… the participants have grown in confidence and purpose as a result”
The organisation is driven by a passion to offer social interactions for people who are feeling disconnected from society. HPHH works with groups that include people with mental and/or physical disabilities, injured workers, veterans with PTSD and older Australians experiencing isolation.
Well-known for their work with the RSPCA, the HPHH team quickly realised the impact that supporting wildlife can have for its participants. Partnering with Lone Pine was a natural next step to provide further work in the areas of conservation, husbandry and enrichment for animals.
According to Happy Paws Happy Hearts CEO Zoe Black, “working with the wildlife at Lone Pine gives our participants an important understanding of our native environment…the participants have grown in confidence and purpose as a result”.
It’s a win-win relationship that we are excited to be a part of. As participants gain new insight into the industry and a valuable sense of pride in their work, our animals also enjoy the mental and physical rewards of exciting enrichment activities.
If you would like to learn more about the work that Happy Paws Happy Hearts does, or even get involved yourself, check out their website at https://hphhfoundation.org/