Animal-Assisted Therapy
*DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy & Education (DLAATE) Program
The DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy and Education (DLAATE) program places human-animal teams in a variety of settings, from hospitals and dentists offices to schools and libraries. Research has shown that animals help humans by acting as social bridges, reducing blood pressure, directing thoughts outward, and serving as strong motivators for accomplishing difficult tasks.
An animal assisted therapy team might take a walk with an adolescent struggling with difficult issues. Another team might motivate a patient recovering from a stroke to reach farther, or calm a child during a dental procedure. Still others in the Read to the Dogs program might help young readers improve their skills by listening to them read aloud with a non-judgmental ear. By offering friendship and warm touch, animals help alleviate loneliness, lower blood pressure and reduce stress. Their presence brings a sense of normalcy to institutional settings.
DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy (DLAATE) teams typically visit:
• Long term and skilled care facilities
• Assisted living communities
• Hospitals
• Residential treatment centers
• Schools
• Libraries
• Physical rehabilitation centers
• Adult day care
• Hospice
DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy (DLAATE) volunteers invest in training and make a commitment to the program and the people it serves. They complete a certification process that includes an interview, behavioral and temperament assessment, an eight-hour training class, a practical laboratory experience and a final assessment. We use Delta Society training manuals and evaluators.
We also offer continuing education workshops, an annual conference, and a wonderful, supportive network of like-minded individuals. All certified DLAATE volunteers enjoy primary liability insurance provided by DoveLewis.
You may automatically think of dogs as the animal of choice for this program. Yes, 99% of our human DLAATE volunteers are accompanied by dogs, but our program also includes cats, rabbits, a miniature horse, a pair of Nubian goats, and one llama!
Contact
For more information, or if you would like to have you and your pet assessed for the DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy (DLAATE) program, please contact Heather Toland, DLAATE program director, at 971.255.5910, or email her at htoland@dovelewis.org.