Pet Partners
Delta Society
The Delta Society Pet Partners program prepares handlers and their pets to work in animal assisted activities (AAA) and animal assisted therapy (AAT) programs. Handlers begin with a 12 hour course, then they work with their pets until ready for the team evaluation. The team evaluation process tests the handler with his or her pet for skills and aptitude to do this work. After passing the team evaluation Pet Partners are nationally registered for two years and will be insured during volunteer work.
(View Photos of Pet Partners course, February 2008)
For more information, please contact:
Linda L. Buettner, Ph.D, LRT, CTRS
Professor of Therapeutic Recreation/Gerontology
Department of Recreation, Tourism, and Hospitality Management
University of Noctr Carolina at Greensboro
420 HHP Building
Greensboro, NC
Phone: 336-334-4131
Email: llbuettner@uncg.edu
Fax: 336-256-1156
Therapeutic Recreation Rural Outreach through the Pet Partners Program
A group of trained Pet Partners volunteers was trained and work closely with the research (Dr. Buettner, Brianne Martindale, Jenelle Padavan, and Lauren Bussey) team to begin a series of structured Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) visits in the Morehead Nursing Center, in Eden. Prior to visits, two practice sessions took place to ensure treatment fidelity and confidence in handlers and baseline data was collected.
The goal is to use therapeutic recreation and AAT to increase active engagement and mood of the nursing home participants.
(View Photos of Pet Partners Outreach at Morehead Nursing Center, April 2008 )
