![[VolunteerMatch - Where Volunteering Begins.]](/assets/images/volunteermatch.gif)
Animal-Assisted Therapy
"Oh, look, mom! It's a big, red bunny rabbit!" says Dora's daughter. "Look at those big, soft, floppy ears ... oooh, can we touch him?"
So begins an hour of smiles and ooh-ing and aah-ing and petting and baby talk with Carol Pawlicki's precious Sweet Pea during their visits to residents at Catholic Eldercare. People are just naturally drawn to this adorable and loving creature and can't seem to get enough of stroking Sweet Pea's long, velvety ears.
Catholic Eldercare, a nursing care facility in northeast Minneapolis, has recently started a formal Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) program for its 150 residents. "We're very fortunate," says coordinator Judy Stephenson, "we already have seven AAT teams of dogs and one really special AAT bunny team! My dog, Xena, and I have personally made over 600 animal therapy visits since last July, and we've had dozens of "magic" moments with residents. It's one of the most gratifying experiences I've ever had working with my dogs."
"I must say, however, that Sweet Pea brought some special joy on her very first night of making visits here! When Carol, Sweet Pea, and I made the rounds together on the second floor, this precious bunny sat quietly on the bed of a resident who typically is non-responsive and non-verbal. The lady proceeded to pet Sweet Pea, she opened her eyes, and when we left she said 'good-bye' to us; that was a very big deal ... one of those magic moments, indeed."
The second evening of visits, Carol and Sweet Pea were just overwhelmed by small groups of residents who gathered around the furry, red rabbit. They all just wanted to touch her, pet her, talk to her. Residents' faces truly light up when they catch a glimpse of Sweet Pea hippety-hopping around with her snazzy purple harness and leash.
But how did Carol and Sweet Pea get involved in this program? One of the first steps in animal assisted therapy is finding a bun that has a personality plus and a sense that the world revolves around her. The rabbit needs to have a sense of adventure and no fear of the unknown. She needs to be secure enough with humans that she will take to all types of situations. You have to have a very special bond/trust between the two of you.
If you think your bun qualifies for this type of adventure, there are steps you can take to make sure. You will need some very understanding friends and family for some of the steps, since you'll want to take your bun with you when you visit them. That way she will be acclimated to different surroundings, sounds, and people. An important consideration is to always think of the bun's safety and security. If for any reason the bun gets scared, don't push her. Just let her mellow out again in her kennel. When she feels like coming out, make it fun by giving her a special treat. Once she is used to visiting different surroundings without any problem, then you can progress to the next step. You need to have different people pick up and carry her, without any complaints. The last step is making sure that she loves being petted. The more people you can have pet your bun, the better. She needs to be able to tolerate her ears, face, and feet being petted. While doing these steps, also make sure the bun is having fun! Always make it an enjoyable experience for her by giving special treats.
If you have a bigger bun (six plus pounds) you might want to try to harness train her. By having the larger rabbits harness trained it frees up your hands. You do need a bun who has self-confidence in order to harness train her. Make sure to think of the safety of the bun whenever she is in a harness. There are various harness styles on the market, such as the one-piece harness/leash setup, the cat figure H style (hooks around the neck and tummy), and also the small dog style (over chest/shoulders and hooks around the tummy). Sweet Pea uses the dog-style harness, since she's a ten-pound bun who likes to go for walks and to pull on the leash. Carol feels the style of harness she uses works the best for big buns, since it doesn't pull on the neck muscles, which aren't that strong.
Once you think both of you are ready, take a look at the Delta Society website. This site will give you all of the steps needed to become a certified team. There is a yearly fee to belong to the organization, which includes a newsletter and other information from them. You'll have to pass a written test (open book) on the process of doing therapy visits, including how to work with the people, document the visits, and maintain the confidentiality of the visits. Your bun also has to pass a test on her ability to be handled, and on how she responds to different noises, like wheel chairs and med carts. The test will not put the bun in any danger; everything is designed with the safety of the animal in mind. There are a couple of certified testers in Minnesota that test buns. They are listed on the web site and most have email addresses for contact. Testing is done by appointment.
Once you have passed these tests, you are ready to begin the experience of a lifetime! It is so rewarding, seeing how happy your bun can make everyone. If you think you have that special bun, please contact Judy Stephenson, at gjstephenson@black-hole.com for an exciting and rewarding experience.
