Pepe, A Therapy Dog
Pepe and I would like to start volunteering as a Therapy Dog Team again. We are looking for community support to help with start up costs.
Being in a hospital is rarely a good experience. People tend to feel lonely, confined, bored, terrified, anxious, worried, or in pain. Having a therapy dog visit for a few minutes can improve mood, stress, blood pressure, and more. I am not saying
it works for every patient I have ever visited, but there are many instances where I could feel the visit made a tremendous impact on a patients' or employees' emotional well being.
Funds will be used for veterinarian costs, testing/registration, preventative medications for Pepe, grooming, and volunteering equipment.
Visiting facilities will still be volunteer work. We are not in this to make money, but to help bring light to someone's otherwise hard day.
We have successfully been tested and volunteered before. We know what we are getting into. He was tested and passed in 2012 and we volunteered for a year and a half before we moved away from Ohio.
Requirements to Become a Therapy Dog
There are many requirements to become a registered therapy dog. Here is what you would be helping to fund.
> The dog must have a physical, be up to date on rabies and other vaccinations, and be tested for a range of parasites.
> The dog must be taking preventative medication for fleas and heartworm.
> The team must pass an official test to be registered with a therapy dog group.
> A passed test's paperwork must be sent in with a veterinarian's letter of approval and proof of vaccination and tests to become registered.
> He must be well groomed for each visit.
For more information on therapy dogs and the group I'll be registering with visit www.therapydogs.com
