Strengthening the bond between people with developmental disabilities and their dogs
Daegu University held a pet sports day where disabled people and abandoned dogs could interact and build emotional bonds.
According to Daegu University on the 13th, this sports day, where disabled people and abandoned animals come together, is attracting attention as a ‘fresh attempt’ that is difficult to find cases at home or abroad.
K-PACE Center (Center Director Park Jeong-sik), a higher education institution for the developmentally disabled at Daegu University, held the ‘1st Love, Light, Freedom Pet Sports Day‘ at the pet playground of the College of Biohealth on the Gyeongsan Campus on the 11th.
This event was co-hosted by Daegu University’s K-PACE Center, Department of Pet Industry, Department of Medical Rehabilitation, Department of Physical Therapy, Department of Special Creative Convergence, and Daegu Cyber University, and Gyeongsan City, Changpa Animal Aided Therapy Research Center, Gyeongbuk Yeonggwang School, Yeongcheon Palace, and Yeongcheon Papaya also participated.
As part of animal-assisted therapy education, this sports day was designed to help people with developmental disabilities experience emotional stability, restoration of self-esteem, and social development through interaction with animals. This event added the meaning of creating a happy society where people and animals work together.
On this day’s sports day, disabled students and abandoned dogs teamed up to participate in various participatory programs such as a dog relay run, hula hoop jumping, bowling game, tunnel play, and mini soccer.
| ▲ A game is being played where the dog has to pass the hula-up. [대구대 제공] |
Various awards, including the Best Award and Leadership Award, were awarded to participating students.
In addition, the start of the sports day was announced with the first congratulatory performance by the Yeongcheon Palace Pottery Nanta Team, comprised of people with severe developmental disabilities, and Daegu Cyber University and the Changpa Animal Aided Therapy Research Center actively supported the event through educational support and product sponsorship.
Jae-ho Jang (1st year), a student at K-PACE Center who participated in the event, said, “Through this pet sports day, I was able to build pleasant memories by directly interacting with various types of dogs.”
Park Jeong-sik, director of Daegu University’s K-PACE Center, emphasized the meaning of the event, saying, “This event was planned as a sports event where people and animals come together for the purpose of animal-assisted therapy. I think it is a meaningful event that only Daegu University, a university specializing in special education and rehabilitation sciences, can hold.”
Daegu Cyber University President Lee Geun-yong said, “This sports day is the world’s first meaningful attempt to bring together disabled people and abandoned animals from underprivileged classes in society based on the university’s founding philosophy of ‘love, light, and freedom.’ Daegu University and Daegu Cyber University will continue to cooperate to create a happy society where people and animals coexist by training experts in respect for life and animal-assisted therapy education.”
KPI News / Reporter Jeon Ju-sik jschun@kpinews.kr
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