How Animals Help Children With Special Needs

RESOURCES

Experts urge parents to be educated consumers, carefully researching any therapy for their children involving animals. Here are two places to start your research:

• Delta Society –, www.deltasociety.org – The Web site provides dozens of resources on therapy and service animals, a find-a-service-animal-trainer function, and the Delta-developed Standards of Practice in Animal-Assisted Activities and Animal-Assisted Therapy. Delta also runs the National Service Dog Center and administers the Pet Partners program.

• North American Riding for the Handicapped Association (NARHA) – http://NARHA.org – The Web site features articles, information and a find-a-center function.

Programs

• Canine Assistants, 3160 Francis Road, Alpharetta, GA 30004; www.canineassistants.org.

• Dolphin Human Therapy Inc. – 13615 South Dixie Hwy. #523, Miami, FL 33176-7252; www.dolphinhumantherapy.com. The program is open from March through December.

• Equine Angels Therapeutic Riding Center – Copper Canyon, TX, 76226; 940-455-2062.

From United Parenting Publications, March 2003