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Safety
Are Pet Partners safe to interact in a hospital or nursing
home? Yes! The Upper Michigan Dog Therapy Partnership has
taken the steps to ensure each and every dog entering a facility
is in excellent health and every dog truly enjoys working
with people. All participating dogs are required to pass a
thorough veterinary evaluation and to pass comprehensive aptitude
and obedience skills tests. These tests are part of the Pet
Partners licensure process, an internationally recognized
program which evaluates animals that will interact with health
care patients.
The dogs owners are not exempt from the Pet Partners evaluation
process. Owners must demonstrate an ability to effectively
lead their dog. They must also pass written testing which
evaluates their awareness of various medical conditions, dog
training techniques, and strategies for successful interactions
with patients.
The safety process also includes the patient. Prior to any
patient interacting with Pet Partners, physician approval
is required to verify there are no medical restrictions. Patients
are also screened to insure they will truly enjoy the interaction.
Rest assured, the Partnership has taken the necessary steps
to insure the program is safe so that all you need to worry
about is having fun!
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MaryLee
Kirkum and Paige
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