Who Volunteers to be a Therapy Dog Handler

CHAMP Best Friend Gala The CHAMP Therapy Dog Program What is a Therapy Dog How Can My Facility Get Therapy Dog Visits Who are Therapy Dog Handlers Become a Therapy Dog Team CHAMP Serenity Visits CHAMP Partners for Literacy

Some very amazing people volunteer for CHAMP

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What they all have in common is at least one sweet, calm canine who they are willing to share with other people.

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Volunteering has Benefits

Research shows a strong correlation between good health and volunteering. Studies say volunteers have lower rates of mortality, depression, and heart ailments. Studies also show that owning a dog lowers depression, blood pressure and heart ailments.

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Volunteering with your Dog?

That’s double-dipping. Nice work if you can get it.

Age Our volunteers range in age from 20s to 80s

The minimum age is 18. People as young as 16 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Frequency

We ask that you make one therapy dog visit a month. It turns out that doing therapy dog work is hugely satisfying and many CHAMP therapy dog teams make two or more (sometimes many more) visits a month. That’s up to you.

Duration

Most therapy dog visits last 30 to 60 minutes. A few go to 90 minutes, but we don’t want to tire our dogs. Short is good.

Residence

Most of our folks live within CHAMP’s service area, the greater St. Louis Metropolitan area. From St. Charles County MO to Southern Illinois.

Working? Retired?

We have a mix of workers and retirees. We try hard to work around your schedule and obligations. We feel very lucky to have several couples among our therapy dog volunteers.

Assistance Dogs International. Inc. (ADI) is a worldwide coalition of not-for-profit proarams that train and place assistance doas. ADI fosters a collaborative alobal Assistance Dogs International, Inc. (ADI) is a worldwide coalltion of not-for-profit programs that train and place assistance dogs. ADI fosters a collaborative global community dedicated to the highest standards of excellence for the assistance dog Industry. CHAMP Assistance Dogs is fully accredited through ADI.

The CHAMP Therapy Dog Training Classes and the CHAMP Obedience Classes are not part of the Assistance Dog Program. Therefore, ADI does not approve or andorsa those trainind classes. Comnletion of the Tharany Dod or Obadiance Classe does not slanify that vou are a qualified sarvicelassistance doa trainer ADI.