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Therapy Dogs

We currently have 12 (and counting) nationally certified/insured Therapy Dogs that are available for visits to Hospitals, Nursing Homes, Memory Care Facilities, Senior Centers, Schools, and more.

 

Our Therapy Dogs are also available to any Law Enforcement Agency, School System or Organization after any type of incident, or just for a feel good experience.

 

All of our Therapy Dogs are nationally certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and are fully insured. Their handlers have all passed background checks.
https://www.therapydogs.com/

Some of the places we are visiting regularly are:

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  • Cleveland Clinic Hospital

  • Scully-Welsh Cancer Center

  • VNA

  • Brookdale South Memory Care/Assisted Living

  • Encompass Health

  • Certus Memory Care

  • The Brennity

  • Senior Resources Day Away Program

  • Hidden Lakes

  • Discovery Village

  • Brackett Library

  • Sonata Assisted Living/Memory Care

  • St. Francis Manor

  • Willowbrooke Skilled Nursing/Memory Care

  • Alzheimers/Parkinsons Association

  • Joe's Adult Daycare

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There is no cost to our Therapy Dog Program. It was established as a benefit to our Community. Please continue reading if you would like further Information on our Therapy Dog Program.

Process to Join
our Therapy Dog
Team Program

Welcome to For the Love of Paws (FTLOP)!
We’re excited that you and your dog are interested in joining our mission to bring smiles, comfort, and joy to
various facilities in Indian River County. We currently have 12 certified therapy dog teams visiting hospitals,
nursing homes, rehab centers, schools, memory care units, assisted living facilities, and more. With growing
requests for visits, we're looking to expand our team of fully insured, nationally certified therapy dog teams.

How to Join the FTLOP Therapy Dog Group:

1. Obtain Certification:

  • Get certified through The Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD). Don’t worry—we’ll guide you through the entire certification process.

2. Complete FTLOP Volunteer Forms:

  •  Fill out the attached FTLOP Volunteer Forms.





     

3. Facility Visit:

  • We have a number of Facilities requesting visit and after meeting you and your dog we will work with you to arrange a suitable match.

Therapy Dog Team Form

Volunteer Release, Waiver
& Indemnification Form

How to Get Started with FTLOP Therapy Dog Group:

1. Visit the ATD Website:

  • Go to www.therapydogs.com. Explore the “join” section to understand the requirements. ATD also
    has a YouTube channel with helpful videos demonstrating part of the testing process, which
    showcases a well-behaved dog with good manners.

2. Complete Membership Forms:

  •  Fill out the membership forms on the ATD website, which will include information from your
    veterinarian.

3. Evaluation and Supervised Visits:

  • After completing the forms, we will arrange for an ATD certified tester/observer (T/O) to evaluate
    you and your dog. You will need to participate in three supervised visits (at least two of which
    must be in medical facilities). The T/O will complete a report based on these visits.

4. Submit Forms to ATD:

  •  Once the required visits and evaluations are complete, return the package of forms to ATD. If everything is in order, ATD will issue your certification.

FTLOP Benefits:

FTLOP will reimburse fees for joining ATD and other miscellaneous expenses. Additionally, we will

provide:

  • A shirt for the handler.

  •  A bandanna for your dog with the FTLOP logo.

  • ID tags and trading cards for handlers and their dogs.

  • Arrange and schedule visits to facilities to get you started.

  • Any Expense required to maintain certification thru ATD.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need assistance along the way. We're here to help!
The entire process is straightforward, and we’re here to support you every step of the way. If you have any
questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out via email, text, or call. I’ll get back to you as soon as possible.


Contact Information:
Therapy Dog Team Coordinator For The Love Of Paws - Larry Solomon
Email: larry32966@gmail.com
Phone: 202-372-5538
We look forward to having you join our team and making a positive impact in our community!

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