The History of the Group

Mission Statement:

The FurAngels is a non-profit organization with the motto of “Unconditional Love”. We are solely comprised of volunteers who offer compassion and that special love to those in need via the avenue of pet therapy.

We have seen our FurAngels bring light to dim eyes; smiles to sad, lonely faces; and tears of joy to many because of the simple act of a dog’s kiss gently placed on someone’s face, a furry head resting on a lap, or a small dog snuggling close in a bed.

We hear joyful laughter at the silly antics of our FurAngels and see people who have regained alert moments due to the attention of our dogs.The unconditional love offered by our dogs can help lower blood pressure and can cause pain to lessen; the benefits of pet therapy can enhance quality of life through development of the human/animal bond.

Goal:

Our goal is to form a network of caring individuals willing to share their special animals and, in turn, bring unconditional love, happiness and cheer to people of all ages.

What We Do:

We train our own personal dogs to succeed in spreading their special kind of comfort. Our high standards require all our dogs to be evaluated and temperament tested, as well as to pass therapy dog certification testing before they can become a FurAngel and earn their wings.The FurAngels provide registration, support, and insurance for members involved in pet therapy. We can also provide all levels of the Canine Good Citizenship (CGC)Test and will be happy to advise you of those requirements but that testing is not mandatory.

History:

Our group was founded by Martha Hall in the fall of 1998 with only a handful of caring people.Today, we can proudly say that we have grown; allowing us to expand our pet therapy visits to more facilities and offering a wider range of programs such as visiting hospice patients, nursing homes, hospitals, libraries, schools, and conducting educational demonstrations on a regular basis. In addition, we are proud of our motivational reading program “Reading with theAngels”.

• Goals of Member Manual

• Types of Visits for Fur Angels

• Facility Leads

• Mentoring

• Pre-visit Preparation

• Handler Expectations

• Canine Expectations

• Fur Angel TEAM Expectations

• Visit Challenges

• Signs of Stress

• Fur Angels Website

• Visit Sign Up

• Help Desk

• Self Organized Visits

• Fur Angel Facebook Group

• Photo Etiquette

• WELCOME!

Goals of this Manual

• To provide support and guidance for new members as they begin their pet therapy career.

• Build confidence for both human and dog

• Increase overall ability of all members

• Represent The Fur Angels with a professional approach

• Provide ability for anyone to step up and take a contributing role.

• HAVE FUN!

Types of Visits:

Visitors:

● Young Kids

● Teens

● College Age

● Elderly

● Hospital/Rehab/Nursing Centers

● Community Events

● Travelers of All Ages

• Walking to Visitors

• Hospitals

• Nursing Centers

• Rehabilitation centers

• Classrooms

• Stationary

• Visitors approach

• Strolling

• Through crowdsindoor and outdoor