Frequently Asked Questions
What is animal assisted therapy?
AAT is goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. Goals can be physical, educational, motivational or mental health oriented. In addition to goals, AAT programs measure the individual's progress.
*Delta Society Pet Partners Team Training Course Manual, 5th Edition, December 2000.
Why become a Power Paws member?
- You and your dog will impact someone’s life in a very unique and powerful way.
- You and your dog will have the privilege of supporting and comforting someone.
- You will spend quality time with your dog while helping others.
- You and your dog will have the opportunity to give back to the community
- You will gain perspective and appreciation for life and its challenges.
Will my dog qualify?
- Your dog MUST be at least one year of age and you have owned it at least 6 months.
- Your dog MUST get along well with children and adults.
- Your dog MUST tolerate other dogs being around them (no aggressive behavior).
- Your dog MUST pass a Delta Regis-tration or TDI.
- Having their CGC will help with this test. Delta registrations can be done within our group if you think your dog is ready. Please see Volunteer for more info.
Does my dog have to be spayed or neutered?
No, a dog does not need to be spayed or neutered to provide Animal Assisted Therapy.
Does my dog have to have all its vaccinations?
Delta Society registration requires that each animal must be up to date with rabies vaccination and any other state required vaccine. Individual facilities may have their own requirements.
How does my dog get tested and registered to become a therapy dog?
TDI or Delta registrations provide insurance for the facilities visited by the Power Paws dogs. Having their CGC will help with this test. Delta registrations can be done within our group if you think your dog is ready.
Why should my dog and I be evaluated and registered?
Organizations like the Delta Society set standards for AAA and AAT and help ensure that visiting teams have the skills and aptitude to make a good team. Once registered, you and your pet are covered by a liability insurance policy while volunteering. Many facilities consider the Delta Society requirements as the gold standard and have adopted them as their own.
Does it cost anything to register my dog?
The CGC exam costs approximately $20. Intermediate obedience training, if you have not already had this, which you would take on your own from outside trainers usually costs approximately $120.
Can my dog work as a therapy dog without being registered?
All Power Paws teams must be registered for pet therapy work. You and your dog should be evaluated by a trained evaluator. Registration also eliminates the risk of not having the proper insurance.
Do you train therapy dogs?
We do have a training program to get you and your dog ready to get your registration with Delta for a small fee. Please contact dthompson@powerpawsforkids.org for more info.
How much time do volunteers have to give?
As little or as much as you'd like. We have several different programs on weekdays as well as weekends. We require our new volunteers to participate in a minimum of 4 events. After you have completed 4 events, your Delta registration fee of $25 will be refunded to you. You may also have the option to order a Power Paws shirt at this time.
Can I volunteer if I do not own a dog?
Absolutely! We would still love to have you volunteer your services in other ways such as fundraising, grant writing, publicity, organizing, advertising, etc.
Do you rescue or accept dogs as donations for your programs?
No we do not. If a dog needs to be rescued please contact Rescue Groups in your local area.
For more info, please visit our volunteer application page.
