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The Use Of Animals In Rehabilitation Therapy

Our main objective is to promote your therapy goals for each patient that we assist you with. As a result of this effort, we are constantly adding to, and improving our skills and techniques. The following are some of the therapeutic benefits in using an animal to enhance your treatment:

MOTIVATION:
  • Therapy is more fun & interesting with an animal
  • Patients forget pain, depression & limitations when interacting with animals
  • Frustration level is less when working with an animal.
RANGE OF MOTION:
  • Tossing Ball or Frisbee
  • Brushing, Petting, or other types of Grooming
  • Tug of War
  • Visual tracking & following animal's movement
  • Giving treats
  • Squeezing squeaky toys or balls
BALANCE:
  • Walking dog from wheelchair, walker or freestanding
  • Tossing & bending to pick up ball or toy
  • Getting & putting down water for animal
  • Reaching to pet from right or left side or across body
MEMORY LOSS:
  • Dog's name, breed, history
  • Handler's name
  • Dog's picture book activities
  • Commands to animal
SPEECH:
  • Giving obedience commands
  • Clicking lips and/or tongue to get dog's attention
  • Calling animal's name
SENSORY STIMULATION:
  • The feel of fur and warmth
  • Dog “kisses”
  • The feel of feet, nails, tails, ears, nose, etc.
  • Hearing the dog bark
PROBLEM SOLVING:
  • Choosing type of treat or toy
  • Deciding where to go during a walk & how to get there
  • Giving dog appropriate commands
  • Choosing type of activity to do with animal
  • Where to hide a treat for animal to find
ENDURANCE:
  • Throwing ball for long periods
  • Walking with animal
SELF ESTEEM:
  • Social interaction because of animal (always an attention-getter)
  • Animal's total acceptance of disability
  • Empowerment in giving commands & getting a response

Intermountain Therapy Animals maintains the highest standards in animal-assisted therapy. All of our animals have been tested and registered by the Delta Society® for temperament and ability. Each animal is insured for liability and is required to meet strict grooming standards, prior to each visit. Our handlers have also met the requirements of the Delta Society® and our teams have been given additional training by Intermountain Therapy Animals to further their skills and knowledge in animal-assisted therapy. We continually upgrade our training to ensure that we meet the changing needs of this new and exciting therapy.

Please let us know how we can assist you in your therapy program.

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