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1.
What is pet
therapy?
It's easiest to say what it is not. Pet therapy dogs are NOT animal
assistance dogs that help individuals with physical disabilities. Pet
therapy dogs visit health care facilities, schools, and residential
institutions to provide emotional support to children and adults.
These dogs are there to be stroked, held, and sometimes just watched.
2.
Why is pet therapy
so beneficial?
Many residents in health care facilities and institutions have
fragile minds and bodies. They may live at the facilities for months
to years at a time, with limited contact to every day life. By petting
and holding a dog, a youngster or adult can connect with a life that
makes no demands. The touch of a furry flank usually draws a smile,
and a lick is the springboard for many a giggle. They provide a
"non-judgmental" connection to people who have a fragile
physical/mental connection to daily life.
3.
What's the big
deal about "certifying" my dog to do pet therapy?
Most health care and rehabilitation facilities welcome pet therapy
dogs because they know these animals enhance the well-being of their
residents, encourage them to continue with their therapy, and/or help
them simply get through needed therapy. These institutions know that a
pet therapy certification is an assurance that the dog was tested in
an accredited manner and found to be positive around people, mannerly
in public situations, in good health and current with shots, and
obedient to basic commands. Pet therapy certification gives you
additional peace of mind (never a guarantee) that your dog was
successfully tested to be non-aggressive and not skittish, mannerly
in mock social situations, and obedient to your basic commands.
Most of the certify bodies also provide an umbrella of insurance
for accredited members should there be an incident during a pet
therapy visit.
4.
How are dogs
"certified" to do pet therapy?
There are several national certifying
bodies that have established tests to ensure that dogs can handle mock
public situations in a positive and acceptable manner. This
certification is performed by evaluators who have extensive experience
in pet therapy, dog training, and working with dogs in public
situations.
Most pet therapy certify groups, such as
Therapy Dog International and Therapy Dog Incorporated, have
accredited testers evaluate the dog in a series of 14 - 22 tests to
determine your dogs' behavior and attitude in mock public and
institutional situations. These situations include: walking through a
crowd, meeting/greeting a friendly stranger, and response to medical
equipment. In addition, dogs are tested on basic commands to come,
sit, down, and stay, and walking nicely on a leash. The evaluator is
reviewing the dogs to ensure that their behavior is mannerly, their
responses to commands are correct, and the dogs are calm to happy
through the testing. Many a dog fails the testing because while he
knows the commands correctly and walks well on a leash, he backs away
when a friendly stranger reaches to pet him or acts aggressively or
shyly when someone in a wheelchair comes close.
A key element of testing is to "reward"
dogs who are positive and mannerly toward people, and weed out dogs
that are fearful or aggressive, both of which can mean a biting dog.
5.
What dogs
are eligible?
While individual certifying bodies have minor variations in
requirements, most open their programs to purebred and mixed breed
dogs that are at least one year old, male or female, spayed/neutered
or not. Females in heat are asked not to make visits during the heat
cycle. No breed -- including pit bulls -- are denied pet therapy
certification if they pass the tests.
6.
How do I know if
my dog can do this volunteer service?
If your dogs likes people, likes to visit new places, and is eager
to get out and about, you have the right raw ingredients. Training and
experience in public places builds the framework from which a
dog/handler can pass pet therapy testing.
7.
What pet therapy
opportunities are available on the Peninsula and around Hampton Roads?
There are at least four organized pet therapy groups from
Williamsburg to the Southside. These groups have regularly scheduled
pet therapy visits on week days and weekends at a host of nursing
homes and larger institutions. With a certified pet therapy dog, you
can join one of these groups or begin on your own. It is recommended
that you spend a few weeks to a few months with an organization to
further your training with experienced pet therapy dogs and handlers.
8.
How do I get
started?
A.
Research pet therapy certifying organizations
B.
Research/contact pet therapy groups on the Peninsula and
Hampton Roads. Most of these groups will invite you to watch them
while they make a visit. You will participate without your dog.
-
Best Friend Therapy Dogs (Newport News) Carol
Ann Blankenship (757) 238-7711 or Jean Nohle at
JNohle@aol.com (affiliated
with Therapy Dogs International)
- K-9 Connections (Williamsburg) - Jo Brooks at JBrooks@CWF.org
-
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Karing K-9's (Hampton and
Newport News) Jean Nohle at
JNohle@aol.com (affiliated with Therapy Dogs International)
-
K-9 Luvv Paula King
(Portsmouth, VA) (757) 397-4791 (affiliated with Therapy Dogs
International)
-
Hampton Roads Pet Therapy
Group (Hampton, Norfolk, Virginia Beach)
http:/groups.HamptonRoads.com/HRPetTherapy Jill Vaden (757) -
570-0209
C.
Contact one of the above mentioned groups and/or dog training
centers and dog trainers to see if they have a program to prepare you
for the testing.
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