Pet Partners of Vail Valley - WordPress.comPet Partners of Vail Valley Page 2 Who We Work With Vail...

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Page Pet Partners of Vail Valley Volunteer Information

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Page 1: Pet Partners of Vail Valley - WordPress.comPet Partners of Vail Valley Page 2 Who We Work With Vail Health is a nonprofit, community health care system with locations in Eagle and

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Pet Partners of Vail Valley Volunteer Information

Page 2: Pet Partners of Vail Valley - WordPress.comPet Partners of Vail Valley Page 2 Who We Work With Vail Health is a nonprofit, community health care system with locations in Eagle and

Pet Partners of Vail Valley

Table of Contents

About us 1

Our Partners 2

Volunteer Process 4

Requirements 6

Fees 7

Team Evaluation 8

Hand Signals 9

Evaluation Tips 10

Patti Telling, Pet Partners of Vail [email protected]

(970) 306 3177PO Box 7568, Avon CO 81620

Page 3: Pet Partners of Vail Valley - WordPress.comPet Partners of Vail Valley Page 2 Who We Work With Vail Health is a nonprofit, community health care system with locations in Eagle and

Pet Partners of Vail Valley

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About Us

Our mission is to bring unconditional love, compassion, and happiness to the people who need it most.

Delta Society started in the Vail Valley in 2005 by Blondie Vucich, Sally Clair, and Laine Coffey. In 2012, Delta Society changed it’s name to Pet Partners. Patti has been volunteering with the organization for the past 12 years. In 2019, she founded Pet Partners of Vail Valley in response to the growing need for pet therapy volunteers as the demand for animal therapy has been increasing in the valley.

Pet Partners of Vail Valley works with a variety of organizations such as hospitals, retirement homes, and schools. At these facilities, people are visited by a specially trained pet and its handler when they are requested. Interaction with animals has proven to be a positive experience for the person receiving the visit.

A visit from one of our furry friends can be as subtle as returning a smile to a sad face or as dramatic as lowering blood pressure.

(Right) Patti with Ozzie, one of her two therapy dogs.

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Pet Partners of Vail Valley

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Who We Work With

Vail Health is a nonprofit, community health care system with locations in Eagle and Summit counties. Vail Health offers a 56-bed hospital, 24/7 emergency care, helipad, urgent care clinics, cancer care, breast centers, cardiovascular services, surgery, childbirth, physical therapy, internal medicine, endocrinology, and more. www.vailhealth.org

“We believe everyone deserves the chance to read well, speak well and live well. If every man, woman and child could read, write, and comprehend, our nation would be much closer to solving many of thesocial problems that face us. The Literacy Project of Eagle County is a non-profit 501c3 organization that provides all levels of English language tutoring to adults and children through volunteerism and financial support.” www.literacyprojecteaglecounty.org

Jack’s PlacePatients traveling to Shaw for cancer treatment are invited to stay with their family and/or caregiver at Jack's Place, a cancer caring house. Named after Dr. Jack Eck, a longtime and beloved Vail-area doctor, and supported by the Shaw Outreach Team, Jack's Place offers a haven of tranquility and well-being for patients who need day and night lodging during cancer treatment.www.vailhealth.org

Our partners are located throughout the valley:

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Pet Partners of Vail Valley

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A Culture of Learning: Serving Pre-K through 12th grade students from Vail to Dotsero, including Red Cliff, McCoy, and Bond. Eagle County Schools is an innovative district comprised of 830professionals engaging nearly 7,000 students. Our vision is to prepare all of our students to beglobal-ready graduates, who will be successful in their careers or college experience and contribute to their communities in positive and effective ways. www.eagleschools.net

A Great Place for Senior Life and Rehabilitation. Centrally located in the town of Eagle, Colorado, Castle Peak Senior Life and Rehabilitation offers exciting choices. You’ll find well- appointed residences, reassuring services and exceptional amenities for carefree living now—and health care to support you into the future. www.castlepeak.org

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Pet Partners of Vail Valley

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Volunteer Process

Once you’ve established that your animal is a good candidate for the Therapy Animal Program, it’s time for you to start your training as the human end of the leash.

1. Online Account and Registration Visit https://petpartners.org/volunteer/login/ to create an online account and complete the registration.

2. Complete Online Handler’s Course There are no in-person workshops in the Vail Valley. To take this course, visit www.petpartners.org/Online_Courses_Home

3. Animal Health Screening Upon completion of the Handler’s Course, you will begin your registration paperwork. This includes an animal health screening form to be completed by your veterinarian. Written proof of rabies vaccination is required.

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Pet Partners of Vail Valley

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4. Animal Team Evaluation This evaluation is approximately 45 minutes. You and your animal will meet with a Pet Partners licensed evaluator and complete a role play of a therapeutic visit in the community. Go to www.petpartners.org/courses to see evaluation dates.

5. Submit Your Paperwork Once you successfully pass the team evaluation, send all completed paperwork along with the registration fee to Pet Partners. When you receive your acceptance letter you can begin making visits!

6. Start Scheduling Your Visits! Patti will send out a list of organizations where volunteers are needed along with their relevant contact information. You will self-schedule volunteer times with partnerning organizations based on the organizations’ needs and your availability. A list of other volunteers’ contact information will also be given to you. If you cannot make your appointment, please try to have someone cover. This is not mandatory it is a suggested courtesy.

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Pet Partners of Vail Valley

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Requirements

Pet Partner’s Therapy Animals must meet the following criteria:• Are at least one year old at the time of evaluation.

• Have lived in the owner’s home for at least six months.

• Must be reliably house trained.

• Be currently vaccinated against rabies.

• May not be fed a raw meat diet.• Have no history of aggression or seriously injuring either people or other animals. This

includes animals who have been trained to aggressively protect and/or have been

encouraged to bite, even if it is a component of do sport, such as Schutzhund.

• Demonstrate good basic obedience skills. Animals walking with a lead should walk on a loose leash, and respond reliably to common commands such as “sit,” “down,” “stay,”

“come,” and “leave it.”

• Welcome, not merely tolerate, interactions with strangers.

• Be comfortable wearing Pet Partners acceptable equipment.

Although the majority of Pet Partner Animal teams are dogs, they also register cats, equines, rabbits, guinea pigs, llamas and alpacas, birds, miniature pigs, and rats.

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Pet Partners of Vail Valley

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FeesCosts for a first-time registration include the following:

Handler Course: • Online course - $70

Team Evaluation: (paid directly to evaluator)• Evaluation payment $30 - $35 per dog

Registration Fees: (2 years registration) • New therapy team with one animal - $95

• Renewing therapy team with one animal - $70

• Commmunity partner member with one animal - $50

• Senior age 55 & over; minor; military; military dependant; disability - $30

• Therapy animal team with new handler - $30

• Therapy animal team with additional animal - $30

As a registered therapy animal team with Pet Partners,you receive a variety of benefits including liability insurance, volunteer support, access to resources, and free continuing education coursework. Pet Partners relies on charitable donations and sponsorships to continue to make this program possible.

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Pet Partners of Vail Valley

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Animal Team EvaluationWhat to expect:

• Your pet will be checked for cleanliness. • Your pet’s paws will be lifted.• Brushing (bring only soft brush, no metal bristles)• Proper Collar – simple clasp collar, no choke chains, no metal. A harness or gentle leader is

accepted.• You will need to walk across room and back on “heel” with a loose leash. (6-foot braided or

leather leash).• You will also walk through the room with distractions such as: people in an argument, people

with medical equiptment, multiple people who want to pet your dog all at once. In these situations you are expected to manage the scenario. For example, when multiple people come up to pet your dog you can say, “one at a time please.”• You will need to have your pet sit and stay for 30 seconds. It’s best to practice “stay” with

your dog at home for at least one minute to be sure your pet is ready. You must also bring a treat for the trainer to give to your pet.

• Neutral dog interaction.• Loud noise, such as dropping a book.

Neutral Dog: The “neutral dog” is the one thing that scares everyone, don’t worry, there are ways to get through it. You can have your dog walk on the opposite side of you as the evaluators dog is walking. You can also have your dog sit as the other one comes by.

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Hand SignalsBasic hand signals your pet will need to know:

Visual cues help your pet understand what you are trying to communicate. These are some examples of universal hand signs for pet commands. Your’s don’t have to be the same, but you want to make sure you establish hand signals with your pet and keep it consistent

“Sit” “Down”

“Come” “Stay”

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Pet Partners of Vail Valley

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Evaluation TipsTips to pass the evaluation with flying colors:

• Have a smile on your face and an upbeat attitude!

• Get your pet professionally groomed; nails clipped, and ears cleaned the day before the

evaluation.

• You are expected to dress in business casual attire; no jeans, no T-shirts, no shorts. Dress for success!

• Must have closed toe shoes.

• People LOVE doggie business cards.

• Be very attentive to your pet; praise eye-contact, etc.

• Make sure to bring your credentials, you will need them with you at all times.

• Remember your dog pet feeds off of your energy, so stay positive and have fun!

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Thank you for volunteering with Pet Partners of Vail Valley.