Are people ever paid to do animal assisted therapy?

[Sue]

I have a very close friend of mine that is a semi-retired school psychologist. She knows that Kramer is a therapy dog that has worked with children in the past. She asked me about starting a business using her many years of expertise working with children, along with my trained therapy dog, to work with kids in some capacity. I told her I would ask my therapy dog friends on this forum. So, I guess my question is, do therapy dogs and their owners ever work on a "Paid" basis?

[39x8w26r5r8w5]

Since we are Therapy Dogs and people, I believe that this should be addressed to the Therapy group that you are registered with....they may need to be informed before anything like this would happen since insurance is involved. Let me know what is found out.

[Adina P]

Good question. Wouldn't that be a GREAT job? But I don't think the main therapy dog organizations like Delta provide liability insurance if someone is 'paid' vs a volunteer. I think the 'paid' work would be a PT, OT, counselor, etc who did their job WHILE utilizing a therapy dog for added benefit to the client. But I don't believe just doing visits (without an expert service like physical/occupational therapy or mental health counseling) would offer much opportunity for compensation.

[Adina P]

Oh also if someone ELSE used Kramer as a therapy dog...then to be registered with Delta, or others of the big organizations, that person would have to pass the evaluation WITH Kramer since it is dog-handler teams that get registered, not the dogs alone. and then IF she is paid...then the registration would just add 'credentials' but she would not be covered by Delta insurance-wise.

I second the idea of talking with whatever Kramer is reg. with and finding out the details of their requirements.

I have taken Rosco with me when doing nutrition counseling at a local college (for students)...I was paid, but he was just an additional benefit to students I chose to bring. I was not paid FOR the therapy dog but for the service of nutrition counseling.

[Sue]

I'm thinking that if she used Kramer in any aspect in a school setting and was paid for it by the school, that Delta would no longer be involved. If it's only about insurance, why couldn't your own policy cover you?

[Adina P]

Right. If you felt comfortable leaving him with her while he worked and she got insurance coverage that would cover him, then there is no reason she couldn't create this business but it would be out of the hands of Delta society. Would you be involved or present during Kramer's job? I wouldn't feel comfortable with anyone else handling Rosco for therapy without me there but your friend may be particularly skilled or talented with dogs and able to read their body language/meet their needs better than most.

[Sue]

I would definitely be involved, like as in a partnership with her. I will be talking with her in the near future to get a better idea about what she has in mind. I just wanted to throw this out there to get some thoughts on it. Thanks Adina

[Adina P]

I will be interested to know what comes of it! Maybe Winnie's Dad (in this group) might know as he's pretty involved with Delta.

[Sue]

Kramer is registered through Delta Society. I'm thinking my friend would want to use him in a school setting, but I'm not really sure what she has in mind, because it was just an idea of hers.
I checked 2 years ago with my insurance company about coverage on my own in addition to what Delta Society provides. My own personal insurance is as good as or better than what Delta provides.

[Kyoko]

I believe Adina is right about this. Therapists get paid from client's health insurance company. And therapy services are prescribed just as the medications. So, if Kramer is going to be used, it would have to be in the clients treatment plan and approved by the insurance company. If your friend is going to provide a mental health services, it may get sticky for you to be present as a dog handler because of the confidenciality and the HIPPA law. It will have to be presented to the insurance company and get approved.
It will be so nice, though. A lot of children with needs for services like this respond well to the animals....You know because they won't be judged....