Catherine Mirsky

Catherine has an extensive education in psychology and learning theory, and applies it in her obedience, therapy and pet tricks classes. Catherine is accredited as a Senior Evaluator for Ottawa Therapy Dogs (OTD),  and serves as the Chair of the OTD’s Standards and Practices Committee.  Over the past 10 years, Catherine has visited at the Civic and General Campuses of the Ottawa Hospital, the Perley-Rideau Veteran’s Hospital Alzheimer’s Day Program, Cornerstone Womens’ Shelter and CHEO. She participates annually in the program that CHEO runs for students on Ottawa’s ‘Take a Kid to Work Day’.  Catherine and her Australian Shepherd, Kye, educate students about the role of Therapy Dog Teams in Hospitals.  Catherine has  travelled to conferences in the U.S. focused on therapy animals in society as well as to the Pet Therapy Society of Northern Alberta with a view to improving the education and evaluation of prospective therapy dog teams.

Catherine is also an active participant in agility, flyball and obedience.  She has achieved much success, qualifying to compete in the Canadian agility nationals and has been a participant in the Bytown Dog Obedience Club’s prestigious (invitational) HIT of HITs.