Last month Kiama’s favourite pooch Ollie, won the 2024 Oz Tog Dog with a Job, beating hundreds of other hard working canines across the nation. Judges praised Ollie’s ability to “transition herself across the different areas of her jobs” including as a therapy dog in schools, courts, supporting first responders and at Lifeline. 

It is the second time this year that Ollie has earned the honour of top dog. She was also named one of the Top 10 Hardest Working Dogs in Australia, as part of the Dogs Down Under TV series. 

Ollie, along with handler Judi Sandilands-Cincotta, was hard at work again recently, walking more than 9km as part of Lifeline’s Out of the Shadows Walk on September 10 to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention.

The walk, on World Suicide Prevention Day, called on the community to walk 9km for the nine people in Australia who die every day by suicide. Ollie and Judi were among 12,449 Australians who joined the Out of the Shadows Walk, and the pair raised more than $1500 for Lifeline’s critical crisis call support service.

“I just want to say thank you to the Kiama community who helped Ollie and I raise enough money for Lifeline’s crisis call staff to answer 40 calls,” says Judi. “I know times are tough in this current economic climate and I couldn’t be more grateful to those who have supported this important cause. 

“Tragically, every year over 65,000 Australians attempt to take their own life and over 3000 Australians die by suicide, which has a devastating impact on friends and loved ones.”

The Out of the Shadows walk is a way for people to remember loved ones, pay tribute to a friend or family member, or to show support for those experiencing emotional distress or mental illness.

“Lifeline receives over 1 million contacts from people in crisis each year,” says Judi. “Staff who are at the coalface taking those crisis calls also need assistance sometimes.”

Judi, who is well aware of the benefits of therapy dogs through her work as a clinical nurse consultant in mental health, began volunteering at Lifeline Sutherland with Ollie in June.

Therapy dogs are an important support for frontline staff, first responders, and school students with research proving that patting a dog can release the feel-good chemicals serotonin and oxytocin, and reduce stress chemicals like cortisol. 

“It’s wonderful to see how much Lifeline staff and volunteers look forward to cuddles with Ollie,” says Judi. 

As well as volunteering at Lifeline each month, the pair work in Campbelltown’s Canine Court Companion Program, where Ollie supports women and children escaping domestic violence in a joint initiative between Victim Services and Guide Dogs. 

Ollie also visits police and ambulance stations in the Illawarra and is a “rockstar” at Warilla, Bomaderry and Kiama high schools where Ollie and Judi work with school wellbeing staff to support students. Ollie and Judi even have their own special uniforms for schools, court and library visits with Kiama local business owner Esther Keenan, from Known Design & Print, printing them free of charge for the pair.

“I could not do what I do without the support of the community and people like Esther who give of themselves and their business so generously to help out,” says Judi.  

The Out of the Shadows Walk has raised more than $2million for Lifeline’s crisis support and suicide prevention services.