Julie receiving the completed Course Certificate from Velma.

We now offer a Pets As Therapy Correspondence Training Course which includes every thing a person should know BEFORE taking a pet on a pets as therapy visit.

The priority is on health and safety issues for you, your pet and the frail and challenged people you visit. It includes a training program showing you how to safely approach and interact with adults or children with your pet; an easy to follow, training program for you to train your dog in your own home to the required obedience level and how to commence volunteer work in your local area. Our course students come from all around Australia and overseas. The course fee is from $225.50. For full details, please e-mail velma@velmaspetsastherapy.com.au
or phone (02) 9418 4343.

We can offer paid work to our Pets As Therapy Course graduates. Want to work in a field where miracles are realized almost daily? Visitors need to be community spirited; have good people skills; be available Monday to Friday mornings; have transport and a friendly, healthy, well mannered pet that loves meeting people and receiving lots of cuddles and kisses.

Contact Velma Violet Harris for more details on 02 9418 4343
or email: velma@velmaspetsastherapy.com.au

We recently checked out the user details to our web site to find that on average we receive between 1223 visits per month. It is wonderful to know that pets as therapy and the benefits of pets is becoming a keen interest to many. I know our program and service will do its best to fulfill that need.

From Cheryl Crabb and Millie (Bichon)

This month’s quote is in the form a story that Cheryl wrote, about her wonderful experience on a ‘pets as therapy’ visit with a lady experiencing dementia.

There was a lady across the room looking for a way into her own world. She gently rocked, eyes down, whilst playing with the corners of her tray, which was attached to her chair and securing her safely there. Her stiff fingers circled the corners of the tray.

When I first introduced my dog Millie to Doris there was little response from her. But after a few visits and my persistent smiles, Doris allowed me to gently place her hand on Millie’s soft, furry back. I was thrilled though our eyes never met. With a little help, Doris enjoyed patting Millie in circling motions, which must have felt much nicer than the tray. Most times I visited the nursing home I was told, “not to bother” with Doris but I felt Doris could understand I was there and never left her out.

This continued for the best part of a year but then, wow! On today’s visit, when I placed Doris’s hand as usual on Millie’s back, Doris held my arm, pulled me closer and gave me full-on eye contact. At first she had a few tears, and then her face transformed into the most beautiful beaming smile. No words needed to be spoken between us. One heart was speaking to another. The message was loud and clear to us. Doris had loved our visits and some how today, she found a way to convey that to me.

It was a wonderful experience and one, which shall remain with me forever. I was so touched that I cried all the way home and I know Millie could feel my joy. On arriving home I felt compelled to write this story and a little poem.

Always, always bother
For when touched my friend, by another
Is over overwhelming to the bone
You too will cry all the way home
Although far away and distant a part
I know a person who still has a heart.

Our program has been featured on:

The national television news program ‘Today Tonight’, channel 7
Television program channel ten’s weather with Tim Bailey
The national newspaper The Sunday Telegraph
The Sydney Observer newspaper
Sydney Weekly newspaper
Sydney Central newspaper
Southern Courier newspaper
‘Take 5′ magazine
The Central Coast Express newspaper
New Idea magazine
Sydney radio station 2UE
Local radio station 2HHH FM
Two Adelaide radio stations
A Victorian radio station
A Brisbane radio station
Animal Hospital television program channel 9 - twice
Burkes Backyard magazine
The Big Arvo television program channel 7
Digital Snap Foxtel TV
ABC Radio Central Coast
2RRR Sydney radio
Dogs and Cats - Japanese animal TV program
Womans Day Magazine
Real Living Magazine
Cats and Dog

Our fun, rewarding and beneficial ‘pets as therapy’ programs are becoming famous!! This is all due to the fantastic efforts of our highly efficient and well connected Promotions person Christine Stani. Christine discovered our program on the Internet and offered her expertise for free as she believes in our program and the great many benefits of pets. A BIG thank you to Christine. Christine can be contacted on phone: 02 9644 9988 or e-mail: Bailee@hotkey.net.au

The TV show ‘Animal Hospital’ came along to a nursing home at Gladesville, Sydney to film our latest ‘racing rats’ program. This program has met with great success from frail aged folk. Watch this space to advise when the episode will be showing.

We have just introduced “rat racing” into our pets as therapy program. Rat racing comprises of 2 or more teams of rats. Two rats race against each other per race, in well ventilated exercise balls, placed on a mat in the centre of a room. The residents are seated around the outside of the room. One resident is chosen as the ‘race starting flag person’ and another as the ‘umpire’.

The residents are first given the opportunity of meeting the rats and interacting with them. To my surprise, almost every resident wanted to gently pet the rats, hold the rats and were keen to get “up close and personal” with them. The residents were then encouraged to place their “verbal” bets on the rats of their choice. After the starting flag is down, the winning rat is the first rat to run in the ball, off the mat. The resident that guesses the winning rats correctly, wins a box of chocolates and all residents receive a little chocolate. One resident said that our rat racing program was the most fun she had experienced since arriving at the facility, 2 years ago.

Animal Hospital will be showing this episode around mid year and this is sure to bring us many inquiries from facilities wanting rat racing for their residents. If you are the owner of a rat that may just be a closet athlete, or if you would like to get some rats to join in on this fun program, please contact me.

Tim Bailey is a weather presenter on a TV news show. He presents the weather from various locations. When he found out about our ‘rat racing’ pets as therapy program he said, “I have to see that!”. So, along with the TV film crew, he visited a nursing home where we were rats racing to a group of residents and it was filmed live. Every one had a great time and lots of laughs all round.

Tim Bailey with Velma and in the balls are Lulu and Misty Blue (rats)

We need some kind, community spirited people to sponsor a nursing home, hospital or day care centre, enabling them to receive pets as therapy visits. We are all volunteers on this program. No one receives a wage and our program costs an average of $400.00 per week to run. To help meet our expenses we ask facilities for a $45.00 visit fee. Most facilities have a budget to cover this fee but some facilities cannot pay this. We are seeking kind sponsors to help our program and health care facilities, by donating:

$1056.00 for 24 visits
$528.00 for 12 visits
$264.00 for 6 visits
$148.50 for 3 visits

* Regular photos of the volunteer and pet interacting with challenged residents - which can be placed on a notice board in your reception area if you are a business.
*Inclusion on our sponsors list on our popular web site - last year we averaged between 900 - 1100 hits per day.
*Inclusion on our sponsor’s poster at our stall at pet shows and Expos.
*As well as offering a significant contribution of a little happiness and joy into the lives of frail, challenged and/or isolated adults and children.

Please make cheques payable to: Velma’s Pets As Therapy. For further details, please contact Velma e-mail: velma@velmaspetsastherapy.com.au or phone (02) 9418 4343.

Supercoat Petcare Pty
Dr Terry Theakstone - Ryde Veterinary Clinic
The Jolly Pelican Seafood, Wyong, NSW
DR Geoffrey Thompson, Wyoming Veterinarian Hospital
Rotary Club Of Mount DruittUnilever (Corporation)
Sydney Water
Pam (Individual)
Julie (Individual)
Stacey and Elliot (Individuals)
Christine Stani (Media Promotions)
Plus a big thank you to Jan and Millar McGowan for providing visitors badges and our excellent signage