Therapeutic Use of Animals

Service Dogs used for the following: 1.Guide - Visual 2.Hearing – trained to alert 1.Alert by touch and lead them to everyday sounds 1.Outside for traffic, hazards or sirens 3.Mobility – physical assistance with disability 1.Gait 2.Balance 3.Strength 4.Dexterity 5.Maneuvering and Navigation Seizure Response 1.Recognize individual is having a seizure to provide support 1.Alerting 2.Retrieving medication, water or supportive material 3.Provide bracing support 4.Mental Health Dogs – new 1.Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) 1.Helps individual adjust to “threatening” environment. 2.Dog circles veteran, creating a safe haven. 3.This type of Service dog is still under review, but having increased acceptance The presence of a dog for protection, personal defense or solely for comfort does not qualify that dog as a service dog!

Guide Dogs

Hearing – trained to alert

Mobility Physical assistance with disability

Mental Health Dogs

Therapy Dogs Trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, people with learning disabilities and stressful situations, such as disaster areas. Therapy dogs come in all sizes and breeds and must have a good temperament. A good therapy dog must be a friendly, patient, confident, gentle, and at ease in all situations. Therapy dogs must enjoy human contact and content to be petted and handled, sometimes clumsily. San Diego VA Love on a Leash Pet Therapy team.

Animal – Assisted Activity Provide opportunities for motivational, educational, and/or recreational benefits to enhance quality of life

Animal-Assisted Therapy Goal-directed intervention designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning. Animal-Assisted Therapy Goal-directed intervention designed to promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning.

Residential Animal Therapy – Residential “Pets”

Companion Dogs PET

Animal Management Policy Restricted Areas isolation precautions rooms operating rooms coronary care units hemodialysis intensive care units Nutrition & Food Service kitchen areas

Animal Management Policy Restricted Animals (infection control concerns): Nonhuman primates Reptiles Amphibians Birds Turtles and tortoises Rodents

Animal Issues? Sanitation Furniture & Flooring Textile Loss Animal Safety Employee Safety

Local and Regional Service Dog Information Paws’itive Teams Website: Physical location: San Diego, CA Phone Contact: Contact: Canine Companions for Independence Website: Physical location: 5 Regions through United States Phone Contact: Contact: Tender Loving Canines Assistance Dogs (TLCAD) Website: Physical location: Solana Beach, CA Phone Contact: Contact: Next Step West Coast Chapter P.O. Box Carlsbad, CA (760) (858) San Simon Foundation Website address: Physical location: Malibu, CA Phone Contact: Contact:

Assistance Dogs International Assistance Dogs International (ADI) is a coalition of not for profit assistance dog organizations. The purpose of ADI is to improve the areas of training, placement, and utilization of assistance dogs, staff and volunteer education, as well as educating the public about assistance dogs, and advocating for the legal rights of people with disabilities partnered with assistance dogs. ADI has a comprehensive accreditation system and members have to be regularly assessed to ensure they meet the high standards expected of assistance dog programs.

Resources 2010 VA Conference, Cincinnati, Ohio Paws’itive Teams, Carol Davis, Contact: Love on a Leash,