Community Corner
Hospital Seeking Dogs for Animal Assisted Therapy Program
Is your dog sweet, kind and obedient? Maybe she's a candidate for Elmhurst Memorial Hospital's animal assisted therapy program.
Elmhurst Memorial Hospital is seeking more dogs for its Animal-Assisted Therapy program, which is designed to bring comfort to patients by reducing stress, pain, anxiety and blood pressure, and increasing social interaction and communication.
To be considered, dogs must meet the following requirements:
-Sit/down/stay/recall on command
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Walk loosely on a leash without pulling
Get along well with other dogs
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Perform required commands without treats
Like people
Not be overly vocal
Be at least one year of age
Current on all vaccinations
Free of skin problems
No prong collars, gentle leaders, harnesses or retractable leashes
Handlers, who must be 18 and older, and their dogs are encouraged to have completed a group obedience training class within the past year.
Applicants will be contacted in late fall of 2014 to arrange pre-screening. Dogs that meet qualification requirements will be scheduled for temperament testing on Saturday, November 8. Dogs and their handlers selected for the program must attend mandatory three-day training, January 9-11, 2015 at Elmhurst Memorial Hospital, 155 E. Brush Hill Rd. in Elmhurst.
To be considered, please visit EMHC Animal Assisted Therapy and complete the online application. For more information, call Dee Panek at 331-221-1158.
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