Calling All Volunteers!
Sometimes a facility is large enough that the visit requires more than one therapy pet in order to see as many people as possible. Even with highly trained dogs it can be hard for one handler to manage two pets at the same time. That's where you come in! Are you 16 years of age or older and interested in getting into the field of Animal Assisted Therapy? If so, then Big Red Dog Animal Assisted Therapy Group wants you! We are looking for volunteers in the Central/West Central Illinois and Southeast Iowa areas (cities such as Keokuk, Burlington and Ft. Madison, IA; Farmington, Glasford, La Harpe, Carthage and Sciota, IL). Please check out our volunteer application below if this sounds like the opportunity for you.
Volunteers may already have their own registered therapy pet but this is not a requirement. Big Red Dog AAT will evaluate any currently registered pets before volunteers begin visiting. Volunteers with registered pets may visit alongside current BRD staff or visit independently at locations in their area. Volunteers without currently registered therapy pets will visit with current BRD staff in locations near them. Volunteers may be required to travel and therefore must have reliable transportation. BRD also asks that all volunteers check their insurance policies to make sure they have personal liability coverage. Therapy animals are highly trained and are specially selected for their duties, but BRD knows that working with animals always poses risk to those involved so we want you to be prepared and protected in case any unforeseen injury would occur during a visit. Volunteers will be required to work with children and adults of all ages, races, genders, ethnicities, disability levels, medical conditions, handicaps, and other needs.
Not old enough to volunteer but still interested in getting experience? That's okay too! Big Red Dog Therapy Group would like to offer those not quite old enough to volunteer but who are already passionate about AAT the opportunity to get some experience through shadowing. The volunteer application has a special section for anyone interested in shadowing. Shadowers will not handle animals at any time during the visit but will have the opportunity to see an AAT team in action and make networking connections with facilities and people. Shadowers may need transportation from parents/guardians or family to locations of visits. Shadowers must be 13 years of age or older.
All volunteers and shadowers will be interviewed by BRD staff prior to being selected. Any one under the age of 18 must have parental/guardian consent before they can be interviewed or selected.
You can fill the application out on your computer, but please make sure to print it off and sign the application before returning it. Applications can be scanned and e-mailed to BRD at [email protected] or printed off and mailed to:
Jill Moore
Big Red Dog Therapy
1408 Lynnwood Drive
Burlington, IA 52601
Please feel free to contact us via this website, our Facebook page or via the e-mail address above with any questions!
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