OCTOBER

Animal-Assisted Therapy Awareness Month

On September 21, 2022 JB Pritzker, Governor of the State of Illinois proclaimed the month of October 2022, as

Animal Assisted Therapy Awareness Month

Whereas, Canine Therapy Corps, Inc. empowers and motivates individuals to improve their physical and psychological health and well-being by harnessing the human-animal bond through animal-assisted therapy; serving the Chicago Metropolitan area

Whereas, Animal-Assisted Therapy can reduce pain and anxiety in people with a range of health problems;

Whereas, Animal-Assisted Therapy has been proven to increase trust, reduce anxiety, decrease feeling of depression and isolation; increase self-esteem, self-acceptance, and social skills; help improve impulse control; increase problem-solving skills; improve communication skills, including non-verbal; improve emotional management;

Whereas, Canine Therapy Corps provides goal-directed, interactive animal-assisted therapy services free of charge using volunteers and certified therapy dogs;

Whereas, Animal-Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a goal-directed intervention in which an animal that meets specific criteria is an integral part of the treatment process. In animal-assisted therapy, exercises or curricula are custom-tailored and specifically designed around an individual's or a population's therapeutic goals and a therapy dog's skills inventory; including children with autism, veterans, individuals recovering from substance use disorder, children impacted by physical and emotional abuse, children exhibiting anxiety or depressive disorder and more; adults with physical trauma; seniors with dementia; 

Whereas, therapy animals are well-trained and tested companion animals that volunteer with their owners (or another handler), providing support and companionship to others in the community. At home, they are regular pets and do not provide any type of formal support to individuals in their households;

Whereas, hundreds of non-profit organizations, hospitals, and schools throughout Greater Chicago have incorporated Canine Therapy Corps’ animal-assisted therapy services to better support children with autism, veterans, individuals recovering from substance use disorder, children impacted by physical and emotional abuse, children exhibiting anxiety or depressive disorder and more; adults with physical trauma; seniors with dementia; 

Whereas, Canine Therapy Corps’ certified therapy dogs provide immediate and continuous positive feedback in physical rehabilitation programming during animal-assisted therapy sessions, which catalyzes the motivation participants need to persevere during difficult or painful therapy;

Whereas, Canine Therapy Corps’ psychosocial rehabilitation programming supports at-risk youth; substance abuse recovery; individuals with mental health needs;  animal-assisted therapy has been beneficial for individuals with substance use disorders, depression, anxiety, PTSD, stress, physical and emotional trauma, traumatic brain injury, learning challenges, autism or Asperger’s, and Down Syndrome;

Whereas, Canine Therapy Corps advances animal-assisted interventions through research and collaboration;

Whereas, for over 30 years, Canine Therapy Corps and their dedicated volunteer dog teams has provided unique, therapeutic, animal-assisted therapy services throughout the Chicago metropolitan area;

Whereas, since 2011, Canine Therapy Corps’ therapy dog teams have donated more than 12,500 hours of service. Since 2015, they have served nearly 50,000 people;

Whereas, in early-2020, Canine Therapy Corps launched The Chiquita Brightman Dog Training Program, a comprehensive dog training program that includes group classes and private lessons and is designed to prepare prospective therapy dog teams for the rigors of therapy work as well as help pet dogs live more enriched lives.

Whereas, it is advantageous to pursue Animal-Assisted Therapy as a therapeutic option because of the positive physical, mental, and emotional effects on the body.