Therapy Pets and Service Dogs The following experiences have been recounted by Susan, a retired nurse, who has years of experience with therapy pets. I am fortunate to say first hand, I have seen the effects a therapy pet has on patients. I have owned Therapy dogs for 10 years, and the benefit they provide to the patients far exceeds what anyone would ever expect. What Can Therapy Dogs Do for Patients? The most noted thing a therapy dog can do is lifting spirits. I can testify to this on a personal level. For a year, one of my assignments as a nurse was to work in a center for developmentally disabled adults. During my tenure, I saw numerous incidents where one of my therapy dogs had a huge impact on a Center participant’s life. On one occasion, an older gentleman lost his mother. She was in her 90s, and always been there to care for this man. The center psychiatrist was especially concerned because the man refused to speak since learning of his mother’s death. The other concern, much more pressing, was that the man was refusing food, and drinking a minimal amount of water. A decision was made that he would sit in the Nursing office until a medical transporter could pick him up later that day and transport him to the hospital, where he would receive IV treatments for dehydration. The poor guy sat in the office for several hours, occasionally getting up to use the restroom. My therapy dog, which came for visits at the Center on Fridays, was in the recreation room, when I noticed my patient did not return from the restroom. The center psychiatrist commented the man had been gone quite a while, so we both went to check. In what was known as the quiet room, there sat the man we were looking for. He was sitting with his back to us, so he had no idea we were there. In his lap sat my little pug, and surprisingly, the man was talking to the dog as he petting him. He went on and on about losing his mom, how he felt, and what he would miss most about his mother. We stood and listened for about 15 minutes, then Walked away. 30 minutes later, my patient popped into my office and asks if he could have lunch, saying he and Buster, my dog, were hungry. It's too late to make a long story short, however, I will say this, my therapy dog saved this man a visit to the hospital, and possibly a return to the institution he had once been in. The center psychiatrist wrote in his report, the patient simply needed the right ears to listen. Related: Things to Expect on a Holiday Shift
Another occurrence, at the same center involved a young lady with a severe form of cerebral palsy and Autism. The speech therapist had worked with her for 3 years attempting to get the young lady to use her vocal cords, however, to no avail. During a therapy dog visit, the young lady was in her wheelchair, and someone put Buster in her lap. The dog jumped down to follow me, and for the first time ever, the patient made a sound, attempting to call Buster back. I turned to see her extending her hand to the dog, and she again tried to summon him back to her. Over the next year, the speech therapist borrowed Buster for her sessions with the young lady, and I am happy to say that today she has quite an extended vocabulary, which of course included the word/name, Buster. There are never ending stories just like my personal experience that attests to the fact that therapy pets have a positive influence in the lives of many patients. Therapy Pet Species While most therapy pets are dogs, there is no set rule that is what they have to be. Rabbits, cats, and even pigs can serve in the role; most of it depends on the animal’s demeanor, and their ability to bring a positive influence into the lives of patients. In most states therapy pets need to be certified, which follows some specialized trainings to ensure the pet is well under the control of the owner. Related: Nursing Technology Problems and Solutions Therapy Pets Common Destinations Many therapy pets visit hospitals in general, and inquire with the nursing staff which patient would benefit from a visit. Therapy pets also visit nursing homes, assisted living centers, work centers for disabled adults, and schools. As long as the therapy dog programs across the nation continue to be a success, it is likely they will continue to exist. Service Dogs Service dogs are not therapy dogs, and therapy dogs are not certified service dogs. A service dog receives extensive trainings, at least 18 months, at a center specializing in service dog training. The dogs learn to work for their owner, and to do whatever is necessary to help their owner to function at maximum capacity. Some common service dog tasks include: ● Turning lights on and off ● Opening a washer or dryer ● Picking up objects dropped by their master ● Turning down covers ● Alerting their owner to an oncoming seizure ● Alerting diabetic patients that their blood sugar is low
There are numerous other job responsibilities for service dogs; it depends on the specific needs of the individual they are working with. Most service dogs wear a vest or device, alerting bystanders not to pet them while they are on duty; this is done to keep the dogs focus 100 percent on their owner. Service dogs need to be tall enough to assist with the job responsibilities. As a general rule, Labrador retrievers make excellent service dogs, they are big enough, and have a gentle nature. Unfortunately, as with many other specialized programs developed, the service dog industry does have its share of people that take advantage. The fact is, you cannot fill out a form online, and obtain a service dog certification for a dog, and it does not work that way. There are sites online that are willing to accept your money and issue a certification, this is not legitimate, and are nothing more than a money-making scam. If you have an interest in learning more about therapy dogs or service dogs, be sure to visit reputable sites. If you would like to start a therapy dog program in your medical facility, clear it with human resources, and then contact a reputable person or company. If you have not experienced the impact a therapy pet can have on your patients, do what you can to see it firsthand. Related: International Nurses Association Please follow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Pinterest and Twitter