Canine Therapy Corps Seeking Volunteers

When I worked at a hospital, pet therapy volunteers would frequently come in with their therapy dogs and visit the patients. The dogs were always so well-behaved and when the patients interacted with them, they seemed more relaxed and the dogs lifted their spirits. When I asked one of the volunteers what organization she was from, she told me Canine Therapy Corps, located at 1700 West Irving Park Road, Suite 311 in Chicago's Wrigleyville neighborhood.

Prospective therapy dogs, I learned, were given a certification test and assessed by an evaluator. One the dog passes the test and gets certified, he can then accompany a volunteer to hospitals and nursing homes. The dog needs to be able to walk on a loose lead, sit on command, sit stay on command, and the dog must be confident when facing distractions and noises.

Canine Therapy Corps has many volunteer opportunities available, including special events, program assistance, working on the newsletter and helping with their SPEAK! program. If you want more information on how you can get involved, call 773-404-6467, or check out their website.

Sources: Personal Observation
Canine Therapy Corp
http://www.caninetherapycorps.org/volunteer_overview.asp