Above / Edward Hospital welcomes more dogs, all sizes, to enter its Animal-Assisted Therapy program. (PN File Photo)
Edward Hospital is seeking more dogs for its Animal-Assisted Therapy program. To be considered, visit www.eehealth.org/ways-to-give/volunteer/animal-assisted-therapy and complete the online application. Applicants will be contacted for pre-screening.
Individuals and their dogs who meet qualification requirements will be scheduled for temperament testing on either Wednesday or Thursday, June 22 or 23, within a two-hour time slot between 4-9PM at the Edward Sleep Center, 27555 Diehl Rd. in Warrenville.
Above / From PN’s files… here are a few of the Edward Therapy Dogs!
Dogs and their handlers selected for the program must attend mandatory training at Edward Hospital, 801 S. Washington St. in Naperville from 5:30 to 8:30PM on Thursday, July 21; and from 8AM to 5PM both Saturday and Sunday, August 6 and 7.
For more information, call Cynthia Brooks at (630) 527-7335, or email cbrooks@edward.org.
Requirements for consideration
To be considered, dogs must meet the following requirements:
- Sit/down/stay/recall on command
- Walk loosely on a leash without pulling
- Get along well with other dogs
- Perform required commands without treats
- Like people
- Not be overly vocal
- Be at least one year of age
- Current on all vaccinations
- Free of skin problems
- Prong collars, gentle leaders, harnesses and retractable leashes are not accepted
- Handlers must be 18 years of age or older
Handlers and their dogs are encouraged to have completed a group obedience training class within the past year.
Above / Therapy dogs make people of all ages happy, including their handlers/owners.
Edward’s Animal-Assisted Therapy program began in 2002 with 15 teams. Today, there are nearly 90 teams with 47 breeds represented. Teams have made more than 160,000 patient visits since the beginning of the program.
