Therapy Dogs and Visiting Pets
Therapy Dogs, Animal Assisted Therapy and Animal Assisted Activities Resources Most academic or scientific level information (studies, surveys etc.) are available in book form, or from bound journals available at university and college libraries. Expect to either have to pay for the materials or find them in a University library. An extensive bibliography (with links to book you can buy) is available at http://www.dogplay.com/Resources/books.html.
One popular book is Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog To Reach Others by Kathy Diamond Davis, another is Pets In Therapy by Kris Butler. If you are a professional counselor or therapist planning on including pets are part of your theraputic program a more appropriate book is Professional Applications Of Animal Assisted Interventions: Dogwood Doga (SECOND Edition)
by Melissa Winkle (Editor).
Please use the links provided and read the web sites listed before writing to any with questions.
The Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs, Inc. evaluates, tests, trains, qualifies and supports therapy dogs. Teams passing the screening and evaluation can register with the group to get insurance coverage, guidance and support and other benefits. Training classes to enhance visit skills are also available.
Therapy Dogs International, Inc. (TDI) is a volunteer group organized to provide qualified handlers and their Therapy Dogs for visitations to institutions, facilities, and any other place where Therapy Dogs are needed. Based in Flander, New Jersey, this organization certifies dog and handler teams across the United States, Canada and some other countries. This web site describes the testing and certification requirements.
Delta provides instructors or training materials to teach the skills needed to visit safely with an animal in hospitals, nursing homes, classrooms, and other facilities. Regular publications keep participants up to date on emerging issues, research, and a wide variety of information on the human - animal relationship. With successful completion of the registration requirements you get liability insurance, referrals to facilities, newsletters and continuing education opportunities as well as networking support. A wide variety of animals may be registered under Delta's program. For articles and abstracts check out Pet Partners' page on Health Benefits of Animals.
Also see The Delta Society in Australia
https://www.deltasociety.com.au/
Reading Education Assistance Dogs was launched in Salt Lake City in 1999 and now has registered teams operating in 49 states, Canada, Europe and elsewhere. R.E.A.D. is a literacy support program in which children read with dogs to help build their reading and communication skills, as well as their love of books and the reading environment. Home study materials are available (training manual and 25-minute training DVD), and workshops are also offered throughout the U.S.
The Chimo Project facilitates Animal Assisted Therapy in Edmonton and across Canada. They offer training for professionals, administrative support for facilitites looking to start AAT programs and certification for volunteer animal/handler teams. They have published two manuals: Animal Assisted Therapy in Mental Health and Animal Assisted Therapy programs for children with FASD and Developmental Disabilities.
The home page for Therapy Dogs, Inc. has some interesting pages on zoonotics (diseases transmittable between human and animal) as well as the temperament testing form. Therapy Dogs, Inc. offers certification to dog-handler teams passing testing and evaluation.
The Center for Human-Animal Interaction provides a formal structure promoting interdisciplinary and interinstitutional research, clinical practice, and educational activities related to the human-animal relationship.
This is a course for people who are interested in becoming a working team in the area of visitation and/or assisted activities training their own dog to become a Therapy Dog and pass a Therapy Dog Certification Course.
The IACP assistance in the development of effective therapy dog programs for animal service providers, health care providers and educators who include dogs as modalities in their work. Resources are also available for volunteers who handle their dogs in clinical and educational settings.
Angel Halls is dedicated to creating Professional Animal Assisted Therapy Dog Teams utilizing canines from rescue situations. Provides workshops for teachers that demostrate how to take a child?s natural attraction and interest for animals and develop it into a humane attitude. Offers training and support for individual professionals who would like to in corperate AAT into their programs. Includes an early readers series to help educate children about working dog, plus tips slide shows and other fun stuff.
Two-day Pet Partners Training Course sponsored by Dogs on Call Inc. designed to provide the knowledge, tools and assistance needed to become a Pet Partner Team.
101 activities, animal-related songs, booklists, and recipes. It also has an index that connects these activities to numerous therapeutic goals.
Web resources supporting human-animal bond education
Scientific abstracts and articles on anthrozoology.
(In Italian)
AIUCA has been involved in Animal Assisted Programmes since 1995 and in training courses since 1998 AIUCA is Italian Representative and European Ambassador for Pet Partners, offers the Pet Partners training, evluation and registration and also specialisation courses for handlers and human health professionals.
This site offers its guidelines and protocols to groups interested in starting a similar program. A video may be ordered which shows how animal-assisted therapy and visitation can benefit not only the patients, but the health care facility that supports the program as well.
The People-Pet Partnership Program is a public service activity of the Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine. Nicely done site, it offers publications on starting a therapy dog program. In 1999 the program began research on the beneficial effects of Animal-Assisted Therapy for people with Alzheimer's' Disease and Autism
This organization provides pamphlets, books, and videos on various aspects of the human-animal bond. If you are looking for research support on the how visiting animals benefit patients, seniors and others, this it the place to start. The Latham Letter is published regularly to address studies and emerging issues. When last visited this web site did not provide full access.
This site expands beyond the "meet and greet" and includes guidelines for resident dogs at long term care and assisted living facilities. Also includes lists of research projects.
This site collects resources for the classroom teacher. This page contains some research papers on pets in the classroom.
This isn't actually a group's web site but one from a Pet Partners instructor in the San Jose - Santa Cruz area offering workshops and Pet Partner Certification.
Offers resources in persuading administrators and health personnel on the value of pet visitation and therapy programs. Provides policies and procedures and a training program.
This site, maintained by Linda Hume, is a really great, very complete site for information on taking animals into health care facilities. . Here are just some of the many topics covered:
Profile of an Appropriate Therapy Dog
Communicating with Confused or Sensory-impaired People
Safety Guidelines
Infection Control in Animal Facilitated Therapy
Stress in Therapy Dogs
A detailed description of Pet Assisted Therapy.
An extended training program in AAT. What is Animal Assisted Therapy?Center for Animal Assisted Therapy, University of North Texas. A professional level article by Dr. Cynthia Chandler (with academic references) outlining the history and value of Animal Assisted Therapy.
We are a non-profit organization dedicated to providing therapy dogs to those who wish to discover the enrichment that dogs can bring. We provide certification testing to all prospective members (handler and dog) and insurance to those certified and active members of the organization.
This organization, based in Sanford, Michigan offers courses and materials for everything from implementing and coordinating visiting animal programs to training and screening the participants. Workshops and seminars enhance the skills of registered teams. Included in the offerings are courses established under the guidelines of the Pet Partners. When last visited this web site did not provide full access.
This group provides Delta training and testing, safe handling workshops, insurance and networking opportunities in the Rockland County, New York, area.
This Marquette, Michigan organization offers a variety of services to educate and train individuals, volunteers, professionals and organizations in a wide variety of aspects of setting up and maintaining a pet therapy program.
This organization is based in Rohnert Park, California. When last visited this web site did not provide full access.
Provides getting stated information and professional, academic level resources.
Implemented programs and conducted case studies in adult and pediatric settings
This group based in the Kirkland, Washington area provides consultation and training to assist facilities in developing an Animal Therapy program. When last visited this web site did not provide full access.
This site describes the certification process they use for their volunteer teams.
This is not a certification program but a preparation program
This group provides volunteer training and publishes "PAWS In Your Facility: A Guide To Planning Your Pet Therapy Program," a manual to assist facilities
This organization based in Whitehouse, Texas, promotes animals assisted therapy through education and training of health care professionals, evaluation and training of animals and human volunteers, and support in establishing programs across the country. This site offers a variety of publications, seminars, and professionally developed videos.
The AACRA is a nonprofit organization maintaining a registry of therapy dog/handler teams available for crisis response. They serve as a clearinghouse to connect qualified dog-handler teams with service agencies responding to a crisis situation.
Active in Pet Assisted Therapy programs and can be a resource for your group or facility.
Paws & Think is a non-profit organization focusing on the at-risk community, both human and canine.
Occasional evaluations for Therapy Dogs International, located in Ardsley, New York
This group certifies its own volunteers to visit nursing homes, assisted living facilities, Veteran's Center, hospitals and hospices. Music alert!
"Mid South Therapy Dogs" offers PET PARTNERS® training workshops in Tennessee
Offers a training course and certifications.
The certification process includes a specific training and evaluation requiement outlined here.
Offers a free Therapy Dog Training Workshop at the City of Bushnell Florida Public Library at various times throughout the year.
More Therapy Dog Resources from Dogwise Books
Return to top Stories and Articles Organizations Networking Help .
The following links may also be of interest:
(1) Identify your team as a visiting pet or therapy pet team with custom shirts or pin buttons. Promote visiting pets with a variety of visiting pet/therapy pet apparel, tote bags, bumper stickers and more.
- For individuals, order from from my shop for general interest visitng pet items.
- For groups, open your own shop.
- No cost to open the shop.
- No obligation - no cost (except your time) if no one buys.
- Wide variety of apparel - sleeveless, t-shirt, long sleeve, sweats.
- Buttons, stickers, license plate frames and other items are available.
- Let group members purchase the items and styles they want. No need to collect orders, no need to bulk order so no need for storage.
(2) Books and Videos - Selected books and videos for everyone from the person interested in how to train their dog for visiting to the professional counselor incorporating animals in a guided treatment program.
(3) Resources Links - Web sites providing information on how to train for visits, how to start your own group, or academic studies.
(4) Coursework and Education Links - Organizations providing formal training, academic credit, seminars and similar advanced training for the human half of the team.
(5) Stories and Article Links - Stories about pets on visits and press articles about human-animal bond programs including pet visiting program, animal assisted therapy, animal assisted activities, dogs in rehabilitation programs.
(6) Volunteer Organizations Links - Web sites maintained by organizations that are active in pet visitation programs.
(7) Networking Links .- Discussion groups, email lists, bulletin boards and similar resources for contacting individuals involved in therapy dog and similar programs.
(8) Related information:
Service Dog Links . Service dog information and resources. Therapy dogs are not service dogs. A service animal is assigned to provide assistance or support to a specific individual.
Special Program Links Information on organizations training dogs for rehabilitation therapy for prisoners, teens in trouble and related kinds of programs.
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Check the other articles on therapy dogs, visiting pets and
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Copyright © 1999-2009, Diane Blackman Created: February 12, 1999 Updated December 29, 2012