"You do what?" is one of the most common reactions when you tell someone you do pet therapy. However, thanks to increased media coverage, the miracles of pet therapy are being recognized across the nation. Pet therapy dogs are ones that have been through training, have been tested by an evaluator who is certified through a recognized therapy organization, and who are actively participating in a pet therapy program. These dogs go into places like hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and children's shelters to visit with the people there. They provide invaluable emotional therapy and are sometimes responsible for reaching individuals who are deemed "unreachable", as in the cases of autism, coma suffers, people with severe emotional trauma and abuse victims to name a few.

A typical therapy visit in a hospital might consist of the patients going into an "activity room" to visit with the dog, or the dog making her rounds through the waiting rooms to help comfort the families of sick or injured loved ones. Some therapy dogs are also trained to accompany abused children to court when they have to testify against their alleged molesters. Other therapy dogs are certified to actually assist in a program set up by a physical therapist to help patients do exercises. Patients might be ordered to walk the dog, brush the dog, or play ball with the dog-- all of which are activities that can help a stroke patient, for instance, gain use and mobility in affected limbs. Patient response to this type of therapy is usually overwhelming since it doesn't really feel like doing physical therapy!

For a detailed description of the Therapy Dog International, Inc. test, click here:

Here are a few therapy dogs in action!

More photos to be added soon...