Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program Handler Guide

Foreword

IT IS A GREAT PRIVILEGE to be asked to write the foreword for this Pet Partners Handler Guide. As an individual who is passionate about the value of human-animal interactions and specifically animal-assisted interventions, I feel that the manual you are about to review will be tremendously helpful in your role as a Pet Partner. It is incumbent on you to not only demonstrate your enthusiasm and commitment to AAI, but also to the quality of interactions you will be providing with your therapy animal to those you serve.

The Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program is based on what many of us intuitively know and that science is now demonstrating more clearly - that animals are good for our well-being and those interactions can positively influence our physical, emotional and psychological lives. As the field of animal-assisted interventions grows and more and more pet owners become interested in sharing their animal with those that can benefit from the interactions, it’s critical that we do not lose sight of the fact that the positive outcomes of therapy animal interactions should not come at a cost to our animals. Engaging in therapy work is hard for both the humans and the animals that provide the service. Since we are asking the animal to do this work with us, we must accept responsibility for their welfare and safety so they are properly trained and looked after while working with their clients. The focus this manual has on best practices and safety addresses this essential requirement of preparing to become a dynamic therapy animal team.

I have had the good fortune to have used animals as part of my work with children since 1973.  At that time there was very little in the way of resources to guide animal-assisted interventions. However, I learned very quickly that it was my moral responsibility to assure the well-being of my animals. I became aware of my responsibility to provide my animals with the support they needed to best prepare them for their roles. Over the years I have realized that my animals have looked to me to help guide them effectively as they worked with children. As such, I have taken the necessary time to develop our skills so we can work seamlessly and safely with each other. Today, thanks to Pet Partners and their commitment to keeping the highest standards for therapy animal teams, handlers have access to materials such as this publication that set everyone – the animal, client and handler - up for success.

Wishing you all the best in your new work as a Pet Partner.

Aubrey H. Fine

Licensed Psychologist

Professor, Department of Education, CA Poly State University, Pomona, CA

UNIT 1: Discovering Therapy Animal Work

LESSON 1.1: The Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program

An Unforgettable Journey...

While visiting in the transitional care unit of a large hospital, a therapy animal handler entered a three-bed room with her therapy dog Shana, a golden retriever. She noticed that one of the three patients occupying the room had the privacy curtain completely drawn around the bed. The handler had been told that this patient didn’t want a visit, so she finished chatting with the other two women in the room and prepared to leave.

From behind the curtain, a dry voice feebly called, Could you come here, please?

The handler moved closer to the curtained area and said, Can I help you?

Would you mind visiting me too? the woman asked, hesitating between each word.

The handler gingerly pulled the curtain back, not quite sure what to expect. She gasped internally and drew back a little when she saw the woman; her face was disfigured and covered with red sores. Shana, however, without hesitation, trotted right up to the woman, who then sat up in bed and reached out to the dog. They needed no introduction.

The patient stroked Shana for several minutes, gazing into her eyes. No words were exchanged. Finally, she turned to the handler and, with tears cascading down her face, said, Thank you for stopping by. This dog has made my day.

Shana and her handler were the only visitors that this woman allowed during her hospital stay, because she was worried that people would be repelled by her appearance. Shana didn’t care what the patient looked like though: she just wanted to share her unconditional love.

This is just one of many documented experiences from a therapy animal team that belongs to the large Pet Partners family. You too can make a difference in someone’s day by sharing your animal. That’s what the Pet Partners Therapy Animal Program is all about. This Pet Partners Handler Course is just the beginning of a journey that’s limited only by the amount that you’re willing to invest in it. There’s much to learn, and it takes hard work, discipline, dedication and an ongoing commitment to making yourself and your animal the best team that you can be.

Pet Partners is here to provide the road map for this journey and to guide you toward success. Through its vast network, Pet Partners also provides support for its teams. You aren’t alone on this journey, though your experiences will be unique. As you change lives, you too will be changed. Be prepared to embark on an unforgettable journey. Let’s begin by telling you about Pet Partners and what you need to know to become a team.

Who Is Pet Partners?

Pet Partners makes it possible for volunteer to share their amazing pets with people in need to improve human health and well-being. Since 1977, we have supported tens of thousands of teams in making millions of meaningful visits across the country and around the world.  

Pet Partners supports volunteer teams by offering the highest quality preparation, an unmatched approach to evaluation and registration—for nine different types of animals, and a focus on connections. We elevate the importance of therapy animal visits, and our teams help build a healthier and happier world for us all.

Statement on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Our species our diverse; our volunteers should be also. At Pet Partners, our volunteers serve diverse populations of people with any of the nine types of animals we welcome. We are committed to creating a volunteer force that is more representative of the populations we serve. We welcome unique perspectives and experiences in terms of national origin, culture, socioeconomic background, ethnicity, race, color, sex, gender identity and expression, education, age, languages spoken, veteran status, religion, disability, sexual orientation, and beliefs, which help us strengthen our impact.

The Therapy Animal Program

The Therapy Animal Program is a service program of Pet Partners. Therapy animal teams bring the physical and emotional benefits of human-animal interaction to people in a variety of settings. The requirements that are set by this program assure health and human service providers that the volunteers who enter their facilities are well-prepared, and that the animals have been carefully screened.

Steps to Become a Pet Partners Team

1. Create a Volunteer Center Account

The Pet Partners Volunteer Center is the hub for Therapy Animal Program. By creating an account you will have access to the online registration process, as well as the Resource Library where you will find supporting materials as you prepare for your team evaluation.

2. Pet Partners Handler Course

The Pet Partners Handler Course can be completed either online or through an in-person workshop that’s taught by a Pet Partners licensed instructor. Completion of the course fulfills the first of the training requirements for becoming a Therapy Animal Program volunteer.

The goal of this course is to reinforce the standards of professionalism for the field of animal-assisted interventions (AAI), helping them become widely recognized as valuable forms of treatment.

3. Animal Health Screening

All animals that participate in AAI must be healthy. Your veterinarian must complete the Animal Health Screening Form, which is part of the team application. This form is considered valid within 12 months of the veterinarian’s exam.

4. Team Evaluation

All handler-animal teams must pass the team evaluation which consists of the Pet Partners Skills Test (PPST) and the Pet Partners Aptitude Test (PPAT). These must be administered by a Pet Partners licensed team evaluator. (See Lesson 4.5 for a detailed description of these tests.)

For details on the exercises for each species, search for evaluation overview within the Resource Library within the Volunteer Center. Evaluation scores are valid for 90 days.

5. Submit Materials and Payment

Applications to become a therapy animal team are submitted online through the Volunteer Center. Once your materials have been reviewed and approved, you will be invited to make your payment. The fee is for your two-year registration.

Benefits of Being a Pet Partner

After you and your animal join as a team, you will receive the following benefits:

Coverage, as a volunteer, under Pet Partners’ commercial general liability insurance (CGLI) policy

Access to resources and continuing education that can help support you in your therapy animal team visits

Access to the Volunteer Opportunities database, which you can search based on your zip code

The possibility of being a contact for local or national media

Possible opportunities to take part in research studies

LESSON 1.2: Animal-Assisted Interventions

AAI Defined

When you and your animal visit as a therapy animal team, you are participating in the larger field of animal-assisted interventions (AAI). Animal-assisted interventions are goal oriented and structured interventions that intentionally incorporate animals in health, education and human service for the purpose of therapeutic gains and improved health and wellness.

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT), animal-assisted education (AAE) and animal-assisted activities (AAA) are all forms of animal-assisted interventions. In all these interventions, the animal may be part of a volunteer therapy animal team working under the direction of a professional or an animal that belongs to the professional.

Although AAI, AAA, AAT and AAE are the preferred terms, you might also hear the terms pet-facilitated therapy and animal-facilitated therapy. The term pet therapy should be avoided, however, because it’s inaccurate and misleading. This term was widely used several decades ago to refer to animal training programs. By contrast, the currently preferred terms suggest that the animal acts as a motivating force to enhance the treatment that’s provided by a well-trained person.

What Is AAA?

Animal-assisted activities provide opportunities for motivational, educational and/or recreational benefits to enhance quality of life. These activities are delivered in a variety of environments by a specially trained professional, paraprofessional and/or volunteer, in association with animals that meet specific criteria for suitability.

Key Features of AAA

Specific treatment goals aren’t planned for each visit.

Volunteers and treatment providers aren’t required to take detailed notes or record the results of a visit.

The visit content is spontaneous and might last only a few minutes.

Examples of AAA

Volunteers and their animals visit residents in a nursing home once a month. The meet-and-greet session occurs as a large group activity, with facility staff providing some direction and assistance. The volunteer group facilitator keeps an informal log about which residents were visited.

A woman brings her dog to a children’s long-term care facility to play with residents. Although the staff is involved in the visits, they don’t set treatment goals for the interactions. Aside from signing the team in and out, the staff keeps no formal records.

A Community Partner group has a booth at a dog show in order to promote AAI and educate the public about the human-animal bond.

What is AAE?

Animal-assisted education is a goal oriented, planned and structured intervention directed by a general education or special education professional.