Therapy Dogs
5155 Round Mountain Road, Belgrade, MT 59714
(406) 388-7463 or (406) 581-7443 djbar@littleappletech.com

Ch Inverness Jagged Lace JH CGC, goes to the Montana State Games Special Olympics in May. That week in Montana has now designated the week of May 15th to honor the developmentally disabled. She is a therapy dog with International Therapy Animals (ITA) based out of Salt Lake City Utah. The local chapter in Bozeman has 60 dogs in the program. Lace frequents nursing homes, Bozeman Deaconess Hospital visiting the chemo and dialysis centers, and special events.

Animal assisted therapy started back during World War II, as a Corporal William Wynne was recovering in an Army Hospital in the Philippines, his pals brought his Yorkshire Terrier, Smoky, to the hospital to cheer the soldier up. Smoky immediately became such a hit with the other wounded soldiers that the Commanding Officer of the Hospital unit, Dr. Charles Mayo, of the now famous Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, decided to take Smoky on his rounds. Smoky’s work as a therapy dog continued for 12 years, during and after World War II.

There are many organizations throughout the nation that test for therapy animals. If your dog loves people and can pass a AKC canine good citizen test your dog would probably qualify. To me the one big difference to qualify for ITA therapy animal if your dog can not re-act with a loud argument bumping by either a person walker or wheelchair.

ITA specialize in providing animal-assisted therapy in the areas of physical, occupational, speech and psycho therapies, as well as special education. Our mission is "enhancing quality of life through the human-animal bond". Our motto is "Pets Helping People".

The ITA volunteer program provides carefully screened therapy animals and handlers (see FAQs section) who work with human service and health care professionals to serve those in need.

They work with children and adults who are physically, developmentally, or emotionally disabled, as well as others who can benefit from the unique qualities that interaction with an animal can provide.

Members of Intermountain Therapy Animals are trained to provide pet-facilitated therapy in hospitals, mental institutions, nursing facilities, detention homes, extended care centers, and schools.

Here are just a few organizations to find out more about Animal Assisted therapy:

• Read http://therapyanimals.org/R.E.A.D.html
  The Read program is part of ITA
  The mission of the R.E.A.D. program is to improve the literacy skills of children through the assistance of registered therapy teams as literacy mentors.
  The Reading Education Assistance Dogs (R.E.A.D.) program improves children's reading and communication skills by employing a powerful method: reading to a dog. But not just any dog. R.E.A.D. dogs are registered therapy animals who volunteer with their owner/handlers as a team, going to schools, libraries and many other settings as reading companions for children.
  
   

• Delta Society http://www.deltasociety.org 
  Sometime it takes an animal to do the job.
  At the heart of all Delta Society programs is a research foundation which demonstrates that when animals are around, people's blood pressure goes down, stress and anxiety levels are reduced, people feel less lonely and less depressed, and they tend to be more social and community oriented
  
   

• Hope Animal assisted crisis dogs http://www.hopeaacr.org
  Provide comfort and support to people affected by disasters, usually in the recovery phase. Scientific evidence has shown animals are a positive factor in helping people cope with traumatic events. HOPE AACR teams are educated to be effective and professional while working in stressful, unpredictable environments.

Lace has been making visits for one year now. Even though she is pregnant with Truman as the sire she continues her visits.
This is a great way to promote German wirehair pointers, and a very rewarding way for you and your dog to be a team bringing joy into people's lives.