Have you thought about having a therapy animal program in your library? Here is contact information for some of the organizations out there.
Note: My own dog Too Tall is registered through Therapy Dogs Inc. as well as R.E.A.D. so I have included information on these organizations in addition to contact info. If others have info on the other groups please feel free to email me at aquick@wlsmail.org and I will add the info.
Therapy Dogs Incorporated
Phone: 877-843-7364
Email: therapydogsinc@qwestoffice.net
This is an organization that certifies dog and handler teams from around the country. Contacting the main office by phone or email, they will be able to give you a list of teams in the area.
R.E.A.D. (Reading Education Assistance Dogs) through Intermountain Therapy Animals
Phone: 801-272-3439
Email: info@therapyanimals.org
This is the official organization that registers animal handler teams as R.E.A.D. This is a therapy animal organization that registers teams in Utah, Montana, and Idaho, but they will register any team from around the United States as a R.E.A.D. team. To become registered as a R.E.A.D. team, one must be registered with a therapy organization, and contact Intermountain Therapy Animals. They then ask you to read a handbook, watch a DVD and there is a written test that the handler takes. Once one passes the test and sends in the application fee they are registered as a R.E.A.D. team.
Good Dog Foundation
Phone: (888) 859-9992
Email: info@thegooddogfoundation.org
H.E.A.R.T. Pet Program
Phone:
Email: lfkane2002@yahoo.com
Jill Ferson at www.HEARTpetprograms.org
email: jillferson@yahoo.com
home number: 914-271-0182
cell: 914-260-7251.
Pet Partners formerly Delta Society
Phone:
Email: facilitycoordinator@petpartners.org
Therapy Dogs International
Phone: (973) 252-9800
Email: tdi@gti.net
fax (973) 252-7171
www.tdi-dog.org