Above / Edward Hospital’s Animal-Assisted Therapy teams have made more than 200,000 patient visits since the program began in 2002.
Edward Hospital is seeking more dogs for its Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) program.
To be considered, visit https://www.eehealth.org/ways-to-give/volunteer/animal-assisted-therapy/ and complete the online application. Applicants will be contacted for pre-screening.
Dogs that meet qualification requirements will be scheduled for temperament testing on Wednesday or Thursday, March 7 or 8, within a two-hour time slot between 4 – 9PM at the Edward Sleep Center, 27555 Diehl Rd. in Warrenville.
Dogs and their handlers selected for the program must attend mandatory training at Edward Hospital, 801 S. Washington St. in Naperville on Wednesday, March 21 from 5:30PM – 8:30PM on Wednesday, March 21; and from 8AM to 5PM Saturday and Sunday, April 7, both days.
For more information, call Cynthia Brooks at (630) 527-5305 or email cynthia.brooks@eehealth.org.
To be considered, dogs must meet the following requirements:
- Sit/down/stay/recall/leave-it 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 at time of testing
- Lived with you for at least six months at time of testing
- 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.
Edward’s AAT program began in 2002 with 15 teams. Today, there are nearly 70 dog/handler teams. Teams have made more than 200,000 patient visits since the beginning of the program.
Story submitted by Keith Hartenberger, Public Information Officer, for Edward-Elmhurst Health.
