Pets used as therapy
2010-03-04
Christine Siebrits
THE organisation Pets as Therapy (PAT) is now active at the Andrew Murray Children’s Home in Wellington. Joan Isham works as a PAT volunteer every Saturday morning. She and her two dogs, Lyla and Kardek, visit the Andrew Murray home to “play” with two different age groups. Through these visits the kids learn how to care for animals and especially that a dog can really be their best friend. They get the opportunity to throw a ball for Kardek, hide his toys, or just to walk with Lyla. Their sessions are not completed until they have given Lyla and Kardek a good brush and a hug. In order for this therapy to work, Joan is only able to accommodate small groups of no more than five children at a time - thus only two groups of five of the 150 children at the facility. PAT urgently need more volunteers/dog lovers to get involved. PAT volunteers take their pets to visit people in hospitals, retirement homes, frail care facilities, special needs schools as well as a variety of other venues. These visits bring company, support and comfort, pleasure, stress relief and stimulation to those living temporarily or permanently in such organisations. For both volunteers and pets it is essential that they enjoy the visits as much as those being visited. Volunteers need to commit to visiting at pre-arranged times with the organisations they visit, and it is important to be on time as people look forward to these visits. If they are unable to make the venue on the arranged date and time, it is important to contact the organisation timeously. For more information and how to register as a PAT volunteer, you can contact Joan Isham at 082-376-3646 or jisham@wwf.org. za or altenatively visit the website www. pat.org.za.
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