Agenda
• Introductions
• Rationale for a therapy dog program on a college
campus
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Utilization of therapy dog at Loyola
Development of policy and procedures
Identify what type of dog works best
Lessons learned
Introductions
• Human Providers:
Joan Holden, APN
Associate Director, Loyola Wellness Center
Dianna Stencel, MSW
Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Loyola Wellness Center
• Animal provider :
Tivo- Certified Therapy Dog, Loyola Wellness Center
Rationale – the Story
• Our first encounter
• Reading about benefits
• Canine Therapy Corp
• More reading about benefits
• “What if we had our own dog?”
Well documented health
benefits
Improve mood
Impact on stress related
parameters such as cortisol,
heart rate and blood
pressure.
Self reports on fear &
anxiety
Interpersonal interactions
Rational – The Loyola Model
A novel way to reach out to students and de-stigmatize
therapy and provide another therapeutic service.
Service Dogs
Therapy Dogs
(Animal Assisted
Interventions)
Emotional Support
Animal
Also receive extensive
training to provide
psychological or
physiological therapy
to individuals other
than their handlers
Not required to
undergo specialized
training. Provide their
disabled owners with
emotional comfort.
Ways dogs serve
Individually trained to
perform tasks and
mitigate their handlers’
disabilities.
One dog to one person One dog for many
clients
Handlers’ rights to be
accompanied by these
dogs in establishments
open to the public are
protected by the
Americans with
Disabilities Act.
One dog to one person
Not protected by ADA Not protected by ADA
Definitions
Animal Assisted Activities AAA
Animal Assisted Therapy AAT
Casual ‘meet & greet’ activities that
involve animals visiting people
Significant part of treatment for
people with physically, socially,
emotionally and/or cognitive
challenges
No specific treatment goals planned
Stated goals for each session
Same activity can be used with many
people
Individual treatment for each patient
Visit content is spontaneous
Visit is scheduled, usually at planned
intervals
Visit can be long or short as desired
Length of visit is pre-determined to
best fit needs of patient
Therapeutic activities
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Talk with Tivo
Wellness events
Individual therapy
Group therapy
Comfort animal
Other Duties as Assigned
• Facebook Page (share prevention
information, promotes Wellness Center, build
community)
• Attends Events (promotes Wellness Center,
build community)
• Other projects & collaborations (build
community)
What type of dog works best?
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Decision on breed
Prior history of the dog
Training background
Certification
Nationally
Therapy Dog International, Pet Partners
Local (to Chicago)
Canine Therapy Corp, Rainbow Therapy Dogs
Tivo’s Performance Review
"To understand the impact and
affection that Tivo garners on campus,
you have to understand that we have
Sr. Jean, a spry and ever-happy, 94year-old nun who is also the Men's
Basketball Team chaplain. She is the
most popular person on campus....on
two legs. Then, Tivo rivals her on
four."
Fr Michael Garanzini, S.J. - President
Loyola University Chicago
Tivo’s Performance Review
“ Tivo has the ability to help
build the relationships that
support students to succeed
at Loyola. And despite being
busy, he seems to enjoy it and
always wants to give more.
For me, he is an ideal staff
member.”
Fr. Justin Daffron, S.J. Associate
Provost for Academic Services
Policy: safe use of the therapy dog
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Leashed at all times
Updated health records
Supervised with students
Registration updated annually
No food from students, faculty or staff
Registered through a pet assisted therapy
organization
Continued
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Grooming/Hygiene
One handler
Bathroom etiquette
Behavior management
Minimum age requirement
Setting up program
• Housing arrangements
• Managing campus partners
• Managing multiple handlers
• Managing Tivo’s work space & schedule
• Learning to say NO.
For consideration
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Financial Implications
Legal Implications
Human Resources
Daily Care
Vacations
Managing Problem Behaviors
Scheduling Issues
Lessons
Learned
Discussion &
Questions
Resources
• Certification and more about AAI
Nationally
Therapy Dog International,
Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society)
Local (to Chicago)
Canine Therapy Corp,
Rainbow Therapy Dogs
More resources: books
Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling. Routledge. 2011. Cynthia
K. Chandler.
Handbook on Animal Assisted Therapy: Theoretical
Foundations and Guidelines for Practice. Academic Press, 2010.
Aubrey H. Fine.
The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around
Dogs. Ballantine Books, 2003. Patricia B. McConnell.
The Psychology of the Human-Animal Bond: A Resource for
Clinicians and Researchers. Springer, 2011. Christopher Blazina,
Guler Boyra, David Shen-Miller (editors).
More resources: Articles
Health Benefits of Animal-Assisted Interventions. Morrison, Michele L.
Complementary Health Practice Review, 2007 Jan; 12(1): 51-62.
Psychosocial and Psychophysiological Effects of Human-Animal
Interactions: The Possible Role of Oxytocin. Beetz, Andrea; Uvnas-Moberg,
Kerstin & Kotrschal. Front Psychol. 2012; 3: 234.
Who Let the Dog out? Implementing a Successful Therapy Dog Program in
an Academic Law Library. Aiken, Julian & Cadmus, Femi. HeinOnline -21
Trends L. Libr. Mgmt. & Tech. 13 2011