ABOUT CANINE THERAPY CORPS

Our Mission

Canine Therapy Corps, Inc. empowers and motivates individuals to improve their physical and psychological health and well being by harnessing the human-animal bond; provides goal-directed, interactive animal-assisted therapy services free of charge using volunteers and certified therapy dogs; and advances animal-assisted interventions through research and collaboration.

What we do

Since 1991, Canine Therapy Corps’ volunteers and certified therapy dogs have been serving the Chicago metropolitan area, working with health care, education, and social services professionals and helping people recover from physical and emotional trauma. Canine Therapy Corps customizes and tailors its programs to meet the therapeutic objectives of the special needs population served. Programs are goal-directed and interactive, so working with a Canine Therapy Corps dog is an important part of recovery.

The foundation of Canine Therapy Corps' successful animal-assisted therapy (AAT) programs is the strength of the human-animal bond, which encourages and empowers individuals facing and overcoming personal challenges. The therapy dogs provide immediate and continuous positive feedback in animal-assisted therapy sessions, which catalyzes the motivation participants need to persevere during difficult or painful therapy. Working as a team with their dog also benefits the volunteers. Sharing their love and compassion, working together, and serving the community deepens the bond between the handler and his or her dog.

History

Canine therapy Corps (CTCorps) has been serving the Chicago community for over 32 years! Founded in 1991 by Frances Ann Rohlen and Catherine Lawler, CTCorps was originally called Chenny Troupe. The first program offered was at the Abraham Lincoln Centre, an adult rehabilitation center on the city’s south side, and was followed with programs at Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital, working with head trauma patients, and at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago with a wide variety of patients requiring physical rehabilitation.

In 1993, Chenny Troupe began a program working with teens in residential substance abuse rehabilitation programs. Over the years, populations served include working with abused children, children with chronic illnesses, children with behavior and communication disorders, adults with acute cognitive dysfunction, adults with a variety of mental illness, patients recovering from stroke, heart attacks, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, amputations, burns, and other life-altering health problems.

Today, CTCorps has approximately 50 dogs of diverse breeds, mixes and sizes that promote healing, health and hope.