According to Therapy Dogs, Inc., a national organization that provides registration, support and insurance for members involved in animal-assisted activities, good therapy dogs must be comfortable with strangers touching them and remain calm when they’re petted (sometimes clumsily); they must not jump on people when interacting and must be able to walk on a leash without pulling; they won’t mind strange noises and smells or be afraid of people walking unsteadily; they must be current on all vaccines required by local laws; and they must be clean and well-groomed.
Therapy dogs do not need certification, says Weaver, to visit shut-ins in private homes or to go into nursing homes. To go into hospitals, however, therapy dogs need to be registered with Therapy Dogs, Inc., at an initial cost of around $50 and an additional $25 each year to remain registered. (The organization is based in Wyoming, but the registration process can be done online.) Not all hospitals are interested in having therapy dogs visit, adds Weaver; but once the dog is registered, people can contact the hospital they’re interested in going into and inquire if it would like to participate. The Rotary Club’s program works with Northern Dutchess Hospital, which also has its own dog therapy program.
The person with the therapy dog is in charge of how often they visit patients, says Weaver. “This is volunteer work: They don’t have to go every day. They can go any time they want to go, as long as it’s agreeable with the activity director.”
The Rotary Club of Red Hook started its Therapy Dogs program about ten years ago when the members of the Club were deciding on a community project that they could undertake. Weaver, a Rotarian for some 14 years now, remembers that the other members back then knew that she had a special puppy: golden retriever Molly, just seven months old at the time. Weaver knew nothing about therapy dogs when the topic was brought up, she says, but did some research. “Then Molly and I started, and found out how important it was.”
Now it’s one of the Rotary’s favorite programs, says Weaver. “If anyone has a pet and they’d like to visit, these people really need it. And the smile on these people’s faces is all the payment that anyone needs.”
She remembers the time that Molly helped a stroke victim recover, when the person lifted a hand that had been immobile to pet the dog. “Therapy dogs have this special emotion where they know when someone’s hurting,” says Weaver. “You really have to see these dogs at work to see what they do.”
Rotary Club of Red Hook meetings, Tuesdays, 7:30 a.m., Bread & Bottle, corner of Market & Broadway, Red Hook; Therapy Dogs program information: (845) 756-5381, [email protected].
