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Sunshine Friends, Inc (SFI) Pet Therapy Programs welcomes all different kinds of animals including dogs, cats, birds and small animals. SFI believes that each pet should be evaluated based on his or her own individual temperament, we do not discriminate based on breed.
If your pet has a friendly temperament in all environments and gets along with other animals, you may have a good candidate for pet therapy work. Level of Commitment: Generally our minimum volunteer commitment is one visit per month. Volunteers can visit more than that depending on their schedule and availability of facilities. Burn-out can be an issue for both people and pets so SFI also has a maximum number of pet visits and visiting times in place in order to prevent this. It is very important to SFI that both handlers and pets enjoy their /AAT experience
Why Participate in Animal Assisted Activities?
A.A.A. is a truly gratifying experience for all who are involved. It is not only the patient or resident who receives therapeutic pet services that benefits but also it is also their families, the facility staff and of course, the volunteer.
The most evident benefit is the incomparable feeling one gets from making another person happy whether for a moment or for an indeterminable amount of time. It is as close to altruism as we can get.
Another important advantage of volunteering in a program of this type is strengthening the bond between handler and pet. The animal-human bond is one of the most gratifying relationships a person can experience if they take the time to nurture it. Learning what your pet needs from you and what your pet can give to you is invaluable to the health and happiness of both you and your animal.
Volunteer Benefits
Membership in SFI includes an assortment of informational services that assist volunteers with participation in therapeutic pet activities and with the maintenance of their pet's overall health and well-being.
These services include:
- Volunteer Newsletters
- Scheduled Monthly Pet Visits
- Informational Meetings
- Educational Seminars on Various Topics
- Annual Volunteer Appreciation Events
- Free Resource Library
How to Get Started
If you are interested in volunteering with SFI, please complete the Volunteer Application and Pet Application and mail the completed paperwork to Sunshine Friends, Inc.
PLEASE BE SURE TO COMPLETE BOTH VOLUNTEER & PET APPLICATIONS
Volunteer Application
Pet Application
SFI Pet Therapy Certification
After reviewing all applications we will contact the prospective volunteer to set up an initial evaluation. This is Part One of the SFI Pet Therapy Certification at which time the following will be assessed:
- Temperament
- Basic obedience (for canines)
- Handler's knowledge of pet
At this point SFI will require proof of the animal's current health records, which must be kept updated and on file for the entire period of the pet's volunteer service with Sunshine Friends, Inc. For more information on what is specifically required please contact us.
Upon passing the initial evaluation, all new volunteers will be scheduled to attend an orientation meeting where they will be assigned to a facility for 3 supervised visits in an applied setting. The first visit is for the handler to observe a visit without his/her pet. The following visits will be with the pet for further evaluation.
Once a volunteer completes the SFI Pet Therapy Certification, he or she will receive a certificate, identification badge and official bandana for the pet to wear.