What is pet therapy?
This page answers:
What is pet therapy?
Where can we visit?
What does it mean to be "registered"?
Why should we become a registered team?
What is pet therapy?
Pet therapy has many faces and definitions.
For our purposes it is animal assisted volunteer visiting, with dogs that are registered to do this particular work.
We do not participate with cats, rabbits or miniature horses, etc... Although some programs do! We love them all, but only work with dogs.
Therapy dogs are not service dogs or guide dogs. They are not to assist a person with any activity or physical therapy needs. Nor are their handlers to assist anyone!
Their purpose is to give the joy of visiting with a dog. There are immeasurable emotional benefits, as well as health benefits for the person scratching those ears and giving those belly rubs. The dogs really don't mind it either!
Where could we visit?
The variety of visiting situations seems endless. Most commonly the visiting is done with:
Each community offers its own unique opportunities!
See the "Visiting Opportunites" tab to see where the dogs are going
in our communities.
What does it mean to be registered?
Being registered means the dog and their human have been tested, by a local representative of a registering organization, and were approved for their suitability for this work. The dog/handler are referred to as a therapy dog team.
In the U.S. there are three main organizations for registering a dog as a therapy dog.
In Idaho, and especially in Ada and Canyon counties, Therapy Dogs Inc. is predominant. It is rare, but not unheard of, to find a local dog registered through one of the other two organizations.
Why should we become a registered team?
Being registered provides you with liability insurance that protects you in case someone is injured as a result of your dog visiting in a facility.
The fact that you and your dog have been tested, have proven compliance with veterinary requirements and are insured, gives the facilities peace of mind, and fills their legal obligations for having dogs in their facilities.
It is nearly impossible to find a facility that doesn't require their volunteer dogs to be registered. Sadly though, they do exist.
If you do find one, for your own safety...stay away!
Interested? (Of course you are!)
Please see the "How to join pet therapy" tab