Words & Photo VIK9 AHSS
VIK9 AHSS is helping shape the very future of the Animal Assisted Human Services (AAHS) industry in Canada. Founded in 2024 by Tyson King, a veteran of the Canadian Armed Forces, the non-profit provides highly trained dogs that bring comfort, support and resilience to individuals, facilities and communities navigating trauma, anxiety and stress.
King serves on the Technical Committee for CAN/HRSO-500.01, the first Canadian standard for a Management System in Animal Assisted Human Services. This groundbreaking framework, established in 2022, provides an objective accreditation system for organizations in the AAHS field. The absence of such a mechanism has allowed Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) to deny veterans and RCMP the federal funding needed for service dog and support animal programs. With Bill C-417, which would establish a federal framework for AAHS, this standard will finally become mandatory, compelling provinces and territories to align their laws with accredited, recognized organizations.
The implications are broad. If VAC funds AAHS support for veterans and RCMP, countless fundraising efforts currently directed toward these needs could instead be redirected to other under-served parts of Canadian society.
At the heart of VIK9 AHSS’s work are Service Dogs and Canine Assisted Intervention (CAI) Support Dogs (which include Critical Incident & Trauma (CIT) Support Dogs). These animals are not pets, but highly trained partners who perform task-specific skills. From interrupting panic attacks and grounding individuals during flashbacks, to providing deep-pressure therapy in moments of high stress, these dogs are transforming how people manage trauma. Whether deployed in classrooms, care homes or after critical incidents, CAI/CIT support dogs support multiple individuals and groups in their management of well being and recovery.
Education is another cornerstone of the VIK9 AHSS mission. The organization trains not only dogs but also people – handlers, volunteers and community partners – ensuring that every partnership is based on competence, understanding and respect. Workshops, handler certification programs and public outreach initiatives spread knowledge and reduce stigma around mental health and differences between service dog and support issues.
VIK9 AHSS is in the process of obtaining CRA charitable status, expected by January 2026, which will expand its ability to partner with sponsors and funders. It has also launched the Cully Legacy Fund, a campaign raising money to provide task-trained service dogs to veterans whose injuries were incurred in service to peace and the demands of duty.
With 35 fully trained teams and more in development, VIK9 AHSS has already made a measurable impact. But by anchoring its work in a world-first accreditation standard, the organization is also working to secure systemic change – ensuring long-term recognition, funding and sustainability for AAHS across Canada.
www.vik9.ca
