Mid South Therapy Dogs Share Their Affection

Mid South Therapy Dogs is devoted to providing all people, young and old, the opportunity to experience the magic of the human/animal bond. The needs can be physical, emotional, or just needing a friend to talk to or even read a book. They are an organization of volunteers who, with pets, provide animal-assisted activities and animal-assisted therapy at hospitals, schools, libraries, care centers and youth facilities throughout the Mid South.

"...a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world." - Margaret Mead

These 4-legged stars are providing unconditional love and support throughout the Mid-South community.

Animal-handler teams must pass the Pet Partners Skill Test (PPST) and the Pet Partners Aptitude Test (PPAT) administered by a licensed Team Evaluator. Most licensed Delta Society Team Evaluators are listed by state on Delta Society's website. If there is no Evaluator in your state, please contact Delta Society and they will help you find an Evaluator. Delta Society highly recommends that animal-handler teams attend an evaluation within 90 days of completing the Pet Partners Team Training Course.

The evaluation is where you and your pet are assessed for skills and aptitude to determine your readiness to become a Delta-registered Pet Partners team. The evaluation also provides valuable input for determining which visitation environment (e.g., predictable or complex) that a team is prepared to successfully and comfortably visit in. Delta Society has established a set of objective criteria for assessing whether you and your pet are prepared to effectively serve as Pet Partners. The criteria involve thorough assessment for both skills and aptitude. Mid South Therapy Dogs Pet Partner evaluations are scheduled within 4 weeks following a training workshop.


FROM THE DELTA SOCIETY:

The Handler
Handlers must possess the skills and knowledge required to visit people in various types of facilities. It is critical that handlers have an interest in people and enjoy visiting, even in noisy, crowded environments. The handler must also have good control of, and communication with, their animal.

Handlers should demonstrate that they:
 Are reliable
 Have control of their animal at all times
 Inspire confidence in the person s/he is interacting with
 Are confident and natural in their interactions with people and animals
 Actively engage in interactions with people and accept and forgive differences in people’s reactions and behavior

The Animal
Animals should have at least a basic level of training so that they are reliable and under control, even in crowded situations and when there are loud noises. They should convey the image that they are well-behaved and have good manners. It is important that animals that participate in animal-assisted activities/therapy have an interest in people and enjoy visiting.

The animal should demonstrate that it:
 Is reliable
 Is predictable
 Is controllable
 Inspires confidence in the person s/he is interacting with
The animal should also actively solicit interaction with people and accept differences in people’s reactions and behavior.
In evaluating potential therapy teams, Delta Society assesses both skills and aptitude for doing therapy work. This ensures that the animal has the necessary training to ensure that they are controllable and have the aptitude necessary to remain predictable and reliable in a variety of situations and settings. The handler must also demonstrate social skills and aptitude for working with a variety of people in different settings. The success of a visiting animal program depends upon the ability of a handler and their animal to work together as a team.

Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) & Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT)
Animal-Assisted Activities (AAA) provide opportunities for motivational, educational and/or recreational benefits to enhance a person’s quality of life. AAA are delivered by a professional, para-professional or volunteer who demonstrates knowledge about animals and the human populations with which they interact. As an example of AAA – an individual brings their dog to a long-term care facility to visit the residents. Although the staff is involved in the visits, no treatment goals have been set for the visit. Aside from signing in and out, no records are kept.

Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal is incorporated as an integral part of the clinical healthcare treatment process. AAT is delivered or directed by a professional health or human service provider who demonstrates skill and expertise regarding the clinical applications of human-animal interactions.

Therapy animals are usually the personal pets of the handlers and accompany their handlers to the sites they visit. Therapy animals are usually not service animals. Federal law does not currently provide for them to enter public places that have a “no pets” policy.

Copyright © Delta Society

Here are some of the folks the the Mid-South Therapy Dogs have given solace and friendship to:

Baptist Trinity Home Care & Hospice

Baptist Rehabilitation Germantown

Le Bonheur Children’s Medical Center

For more information:
Mid-South Therapy Dogs

The Delta Society is the leading international resource for the human-animal bond. Delta Society has been the force to validate the important role of animals for people's health and well-being by promoting the results of research to the media and health and human services organizations. For more information on the Delta Society:
Delta Society

Posted by Kim Cady