Kelli Hicks - Companion and Therapy Animals

Companion and Therapy Animals

Kelli Hicks

A beautiful reddish-orange dog wags his tail in a friendly manner. The golden retriever is obviously well cared for, neatly groomed, and the dog looks content. The vest the dog is wearing, however, shows that he is not your usual pet. This retriever is a working animal. A special who is in a wheelchair and sometimes needs help to take care of day to day activities. Some people use animals as companions to help make their lives better.

Medical professionals have long recognized that animals can assist people with physical disabilities, including people who are blind or deaf.

There are many different kinds of working animals. Most often, dogs are the helpers. But cats, horses, dolphins, birds, rabbits, lizards, and even elephants can work as companion or therapy animals.

FURRY FACT

Animals can make a big difference to children with autism or Aspergers. Therapy with horses has many benefits including helping children relax, developing motor skills, and stimulating communication.

Service dogs are also trained to provide assistance to children with autism or Aspergers. They can help calm a child or protect a child who wanders.

How does an animal become a companion? Most often, volunteers rescue animals from shelters or save them from a home where they experienced neglect or abuse. Sometimes the animals are purchased from select breeders. Volunteers or foster families then begin specialized training to prepare the animals to be companions. Some animals are better suited to the job of a companion than others. Most companion dogs are Labrador or golden retrievers, although other dogs can be trained as well.

It can take up to 6 months of training for a dog to be certified as a companion animal. And an additional training session with the companion the animal is matched with to see if they are compatible.

This service dog is wearing a special harness but it is important to realize that not all service animals wear special harnesses or vests.

. Their job is to provide care and assistance, not to be a guard animal.

Service dogs are mild-mannered dogs. When you see them out, they are calm. They dont bark or chase after other dogs.

A TRIBUTE TO YUKON

Everybody needs to feel loved, to have someone they can depend on and trust. For many elementary school students, Yukon was that friend. Every day that Yukon reported to work, he understood his kids and treated them with love and would listen to them read. By the way, Yukon is a dog. He is a highly trained certified therapy dog who worked wonders with low achieving readers.