ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY DOES WONDERS

Animal assisted therapy program does wonders 2/24/2008 7:09 PM By: Lisa Chalenza A patient with Tara, a Shitzu Animal-assisted therapy has helped millions of people overcome disabilities and illness and helps make life a little more tolerable for people dealing with stressful emotional times. Today, we learn more about what it takes to become a therapy pet and learn how your own pet may be able to join the ranks. Sue Gilberty and her dog, Tara, a Shitzu, are members of the Delta Society's Pet Partners Program, an organization that screens and trains handlers and their pets to provide visiting animal programs to schools, rehabilitation centers, hospitals and nursing homes. Sue recognized that Tera had a gift and wanted to share her with others. "What really did it for me, is my husband is an oncology patient and with his doctor's permission, I brought her up to the hospital when he was in one time. She was great in his room," Gilberty said. "She was very comfortable in the setting and then the doctor and I took her around to other patients on the oncology floor with their permission, it was just amazing" she added. WATCH THE VIDEO Pet pointers Animal assisted therapy is on the rise for rehabilitation. But before heading off to work, there is training involved for both the handlers, as well as the pets. "Tara had to learn how to not get really excited and jump on people and she had to learn how to, if something drops on the floor like a pill, that if I say 'off' she won't go near it," Gilberty said. Tara loves her work and her fans lover her for it. The Delta Society's Pet Partner's Program includes thousands of dogs, as well as other pets, like cats, rabbits, miniature horses, there is even a miniature donkey participating in the program in Arizona. If you think your pet would be good at animal-assisted therapy, you can check out the Delta Society Web site at deltasociety.org. They have training sessions twice a year and they are done locally.