Recognizing the healing benefits of animals, Verde Valley Medical Center (VVMC) developed the Paws for Patients program, which offers inpatients special visits with therapy dogs. Therapy dogs provide a general feeling of well-being, unconditional affection and interactions with individuals who may experience anxiety, depression or stress in the hospital setting. All therapy dogs are registered by the Delta Society and must pass extensive behavioral testing to be licensed.

The Delta Society Pet Partners is sponsoring a two-day team training course for handlers to learn the skills needed to safely visit in hospitals, retirement and nursing homes, schools and other facilities. Successful completion of this course or the home-study training course is required for registration as a Pet Partner. 

The next two-day course is 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 18 and Sunday, Sept. 19, in VVMC’s Conference Room B. The cost of the course is $100 and includes the Pet Partners Team Training Course Manual. 

Additionally, VVMC is hosting 30-minute team evaluations 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 2, in Conference Room A, by appointment.  The team evaluation process evaluates the animal/handler team in a simulated hospital setting, including how well the handler interprets and manages the animal's behavior, how well the animal responds to the handler and how well the team relates to patients. The cost of the evaluation is $20.

The team training course and team evaluations are conducted by Dee Chadwick, Delta-licensed team evaluator and instructor. 

To register for the two-day training, schedule an evaluation appointment or for more information, contact Dee Chadwick at 928 284-5757 or by e-mail at chadee@esedona.net. To learn more about programs and services offered at Verde Valley Medical Center, visit VerdeValleyMedicalCenter.com or call 928 634-2251.