PAT volunteers take
their pets to visit people in hospitals, hospices, retirement homes,
frail care facilities, special needs schools, and a variety of other
venues. These visits bring company, support, comfort, pleasure, stress
relief and stimulation to those living either permanently or temporarily
in such organizations.
Both volunteers and
their pets are assessed to ensure their suitability as it is important
that they enjoy the visits as much as those who are being visited.
Volunteers need to
commit to visiting at pre-arranged times with the organisation concerned
and have a contact person in that organisation whom they will notify
timeously if they are unable to do so. It is important to be on time as
people look forward to these visits.
Volunteers need to
be able to assess the people they are working with and to behave
appropriately, for example to see when a person is tired and move on.
Not everyone will welcome a visit from a pet – they may be fearful or
allergic - and these people’s wishes must be respected. Hospital
patients may be hooked up to I.V. tubes monitors, etc. so it is
important to approach from the unaffected side. Volunteers need to be
respectful, sensitive to people’s needs, compassionate, and at all times
confidential.
Pets must be clean and healthy before each visit. They must at all times be under
control, i.e. dogs should be on a lead. Volunteers should wear their PAT
tee-shirt/sweatshirt and dogs their bandanas. Generally, visits to
organisations should last about an hour and pets must be monitored for
stress, tiredness etc.
A potential
volunteer will be required to complete an application and to take their
pet for an assessment. An up to date vaccination certificate is required
for the pet. After the assessment the volunteer will accompany an
experienced volunteer and his/her pet on a couple of visits. The
potential volunteer initially does not take their own pet along until
they have satisfied their mentor that they are comfortable with visiting
and ready to take their own pet. Once they have completed 2/3 mentorship
visits, PAT will place them with the organisation they have chosen to
visit.
