Wilderwood follows the tenets of the Therapy Animal’s Bill of Rights, created by Ann R. Howie, and gratefully reproduced here with permission from the author.
The Therapy Animal’s Bill of Rights©
As a therapy animal, I have a right to a handler who:
- Obtains my consent to participate in the work
- Provides gentle training to help me understand what I’m supposed to do
- Is considerate of my perception of the world
- Helps me adapt to the work environment
- Guides the client, staff, and visitors to interact with me appropriately
- Focuses on me as much as the client, staff, and visitors
- Pays attention to my non-verbal cues
- Takes action to reduce my stress
- Supports me during interactions with the client
- Protects me from overwork by limiting the length of sessions
- Gives me ways to relax after sessions
- Provides a well-rounded life with nutritious food, physical and intellectual exercise, social time, and activities beyond work
- Respects my desire to retire from work when I think it is time.
Reproduced by permission from Ann R. Howie, Teaming with Your Therapy Dog (West Lafayette, IN: Purdue University Press, 2015), page xvii. © 2015 by Ann R. Howie.