The Beguiled Child

In a previous post, I briefly discussed the various benefits of animals in therapeutic environments. I think it would be useful to clarify the different kinds of titles that animals can gain so that they have rights in different environments. While some trained service animals need to be raised from birth, a family pet can also be trained for therapeutic use. Generally, therapy and/or service dogs can be divided into five categories:

Service Dogs: Dogs are specifically trained for the explicit purpose of helping an individual perform a task. Service dogs help individuals with significant functional or mental problems navigate the world (e.g., Seeing Eye Dogs).
Emotional Support Animals: These animals are usually medically prescribed by professionals to help individuals with mental or emotional issues. Some of these animals receive training, some don’t, but all require certification to go into public places with their owner. These animals assist by just being around and comforting their owner. 
Therapeutic Visitation Animals: Therapeutic Visitation Animals and their owners visit different locations to prevent patients from feeling lonely, disconnected, or hopeless.
Animal Assisted Therapy Animals: This type of therapy animal is generally reserved for rehabilitation clinics. Under the guidance of a trained physiotherapist, these dogs help patients regain mobility through various motor-control activities.
Facility Therapy Dog: These dogs have multiple purposes depending on their location. Some are used in elderly care facilities to alert staff of issues with patients and provide companionship. Similarly, these dogs can provide an educational purpose and comfort for children in facilities.

Emotional support animals help individuals with emotional disabilities, such as anxiety or depression by providing comfort and support. Any animal can be an emotional support animal. Federal law does not require these animals to have any specific training and you do not have to be physically disabled to have an emotional support animal.

Animals, most likely dogs, must meet certain criteria to gain the title Therapy Animal. The therapy animal is privately owned by the family that it serves; however, these animals must undergo an intensive screening process to ensure that they are a good fit for patients. A registered therapy dog will need to meet the following criteria (How To Get A Therapy Dog, 2019):

Temperament
Therapy dogs are not quick to anger and do not get stressed out easily. They should enjoy being touched, and not react aggressively if a patient mishandles them. While some of these behaviors can be trained, dogs will need to be inherently calm to some degree.
Shedding
Shedding can be a major problem for people with allergies, and it creates a mess for hospital or clinic staff to clean up. 
Social
This is perhaps the most important requirement, as they will need to cheer people up when they need it the most. However, overly energetic dogs can be too rough with certain patients, so therapy dogs must be social, but not overly-enthusiastic. A balance of social energy and temperament. 
Adaptable
Animals, just like humans, can become overwhelmed by a lot of external stimuli. Therapy dogs need to be adaptable to high stimulating environments, work in tight spaces, and staying focused amongst crowds. A dog that is uncomfortable or unadaptable may become shy or even aggressive.

The American Kennel Club (AKC) recommends that dogs pass the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test before registration. According to the AKC, this exam focuses on 10 key traits (How To Get A Therapy Dog, 2019):

Test 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger. The dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation.
Test 2: Sit Politely for Petting. The dog will allow a friendly stranger to pet it while it is out with the handler.
Test 3: Appearance and Grooming. The dog will permit someone to check its ears and front feet, as a groomer or veterinarian would do.
Test 4: Out for a Walk (walking on a loose lead). Following the evaluator’s instructions, the dog will walk on a loose lead.
Test 5: Walking Through a Crowd. The dog will walk through a small crowd of pedestrians, passing close to at least three people.
Test 6: Sit and Down on Command and Stay in Place. The dog must demonstrate the ability to sit AND lie down on command, then the owner chooses the position for leaving the dog in the stay.
Test 7: Coming When Called. The dog will come when called by the handler (from 10 feet away on the leash).
Test 8: Reaction to Another Dog. The dog will behave politely around other dogs. Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 20 feet, stop, shake hands, and exchange pleasantries.
Test 9: Reaction to Distractions. The evaluator will select and present two distractions such as dropping a chair, to which the dog must react properly.
Test 10: Supervised Separation. This test demonstrates that your dog can be left with a trusted person. The evaluator will hold your dog’s leash while you go out of sight for three minutes.

The information in this post is just a brief look into the animal resources in therapeutic environments. Equine therapy is becoming wildly popular in recent years, especially with behavioral concerns and children with autism. Look into the resources below and within the previous post for more information.

Resources:
Elephant Assisted Therapy – Article
Elephant Assisted Therapy Program (Thai Elephant Therapy Program)
Rabbit Assisted Therapy Program/Explanation (Tender Loving Ears)
Bovine Assisted Therapy (Cuddle Cows)
Equine Therapy – Article
Equine Psychotherapy – Group
Dolphin Assisted Therapy
US Support Animal Registration
USA Service Dog Registration

References:
Animal therapy: How it works, benefits, and more. (2020, July 10). https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/animal-therapy
Animal-Assisted Interventions and PTSD | Pet Partners. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2021, from https://petpartners.org/blog/animal-assisted-interventions-and-ptsd/
Canine Good Citizen (CGC) – American Kennel Club. (n.d.). Retrieved February 15, 2021, from https://www.akc.org/products-services/training-programs/canine-good-citizen/
How To Get A Therapy Dog | The Full Process & Requirements. (2019, June 19). US Service Animals Blog. https://usserviceanimals.org/blog/therapy-dog/