Doggone Safe - a non-profit organization dedicated to dog bite prevention through education, and dog bite victim support
Doggone Safe operates across Canada to promote safety around dogs. The Be a Tree program is an innovative and interactive dog bite prevention education program aimed at primary grade children. Half of all children are bitten by a dog by the time they are 12 years old. Dog bites are considered to be a serious public health problem by the Canada Safety Council. Most bites are by the family dog or other dog known to the child and can be prevented through education. Both children and adults can benefit from understanding dog body language and knowing how to act in situations involving dogs.

The Be a Tree program is available in communities across Canada and is promoted by the Ontario Association of Veterinary Technicians and the Canadian Association of Animal Health Technologists and Technicians. Children learn to read dog body language and how to act safely around dogs by looking at large format photographs and by playing interactive games. The Be a Tree program is unique in its use of several different teaching strategies, its focus on physical activity and its emphasis on positive messages. Instead of telling children “don’t do this and don’t do that”, the Be a Tree program empowers them with the knowledge they need to make safe decisions based on the body language and the actions of the dog and the situation at hand. The central message of the program is “Be a Tree” (stand still and quiet and don’t look at the dog) if a strange dog approaches or any dog is causing concern or becoming too frisky.

Tonji Stewart - Dog Bite Prevention Educator
Tonji Stewart is an elementary school teacher and a licensed presenter for the Doggone Safe Be a Tree program. She has presented the Be a Tree program many times at community events and in school classrooms in Newfoundland. Tonji has extensive experience working with both children and dogs and is pleased to have found a way to combine both these in teaching children to understand and respect dogs and stay safe around them. She is a volunteer with Beagle Paws rescue and is a tester, observer and handler for Therapy Dogs International. Tonji is the East Coast Coordinator for Doggone Safe and the provincial director for Newfoundland and Labrador of the Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers. In addition to her community service work in the areas of humane education, therapy dog work and dog rescue, Tonji runs Canine Company Consulting and Clicker Training offering professional dog training and behaviour consulting services. Tonji's work in clicker training rescued beagles and teaching them to paint has been featured on a CBC documentary.

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