Somehwat O/T but desperate plea for help

[Vicki&Milo]

OK, so to cut a long sotry short, I have to do a project for uni (I'm studying occupational therapy in my final year) and was going to look at a group called pets as therapy but the woman there was very rude to me and not very helpful. I went into panic spiral, spent a lot of time on NR and just did nothing, and now have less than 2 months to produce this.
I am still very interested in the role of animals in the lives of people with illness/diabilities and wondered if there was anyone here who they, or someone they care for had an assistance animal (eg guide dog, hearing dog, dog for epilepsy, guide miniture pony) and would act as my mentor. To be honest this is not a huge role, I just have to have a 'mentor' who knows about the subject and would be willing to let me talk to them about where I'm going with it.
If any of you lovely NR folk feel you could help, please let me know, you guys have saved me so many times with my pony (another reason my work is suffering).

Thanks in advance

Vicki xx

[nutkin]

I am not going to be of much help to you with respect to pets as therapy.I can say that when I lost my daughter I was too distressed to deal with the horse we shared and he spent a month just being in the field looked after by the YO.When I felt up to going to visit him he definitely sensed something had happened.He allowed me to sit with him in the field while he laid down and put his head in my lap and allowed me to cry into his mane.We stayed like that for quite a length of time.The thing that is highly unusual about this is that this horse could be a real handful to catch and would spin and kick out at people normally refusing to be caught at all.
Are you a member of IDHG as I know there are people on there involved in guide dogs for the blind/hearing dogs and they may well be able to help you.It would probably be a good idea to post on there for help.

[Vicki&Milo]

Sorry, I haven't heard of the IDHG, what is that. My horse is useless when my depression is bad, he usually head buts me when I try to cuddle him, mind you, he can usually make me laugh!

[nutkin]

http://ihdg.proboards91.com/index.cgi?

[Bay Mare]

Vicki - there's an excellent RDA riding school in Mexborough, South Yorks. The lessons are all private and are geared towards therapy rather than just giving rides. she has people (from children through to adults) with a range of physical and psychological disabilities so there's a lot to learn about. If you'd be interested in going there I can give you the YO's contact details.

I'm sorry that you had a bad experience :(

PM me if you're interested x

[Vicki&Milo]

Thanks BM, I really wnted to do RDA, BUT I think I have left it very late to get involved in something like that given that I only have 6 weeks and a research project going on at the same time and a P/T job and I would want to commit to something I was involved in 110%, which is why I thought I might go down the reading and talking route, if you understand me (probably not, I have only just got my head round what we are meant to be doing)

[Abserd]

Hey Vicki, don't know of anyone specifically, just thinking aloud cos i'm not at work and don't have access to my database but what about contacting organisations like Canine Partners, or anywhere for people who use assistance dogs? Unfortunately the only person i know with a guide dog (one of our trustees) has lost his dog and i just can't think of anyone else at the moment sorry, will have to nudge the little grey cells into action. I'm back at work on Tuesday so PM me if you want and i'll have a look on the database.

[Minski&Kai]

Dogs for the disabled also might be worth contacting. Sorry I don't know anyone with an assistance dog, but i do have 2 Pets as Theray visting dogs if you get stuck for someone to help. PAT dogs are the ones that visit nusring homes, hospitals, special needs shools etc. Its not assistance dogs, but its as much as I can help I'm afriad.

[stormy's mum]

im raising a service dog and can help you just pm me and i will help to the best of my ability

[horse_crazy]

I'm blind and have a seeing eye dog. if you want to PM me feal free.

[Vicki&Milo]

Thank you all so much for your response, you have (as usual) been amazing. I'm only popping by right now but will be in touch with those of you who have offered help a little later.

Thanks again everyone.

[flump1967]

http://www.scas.org.uk/home/home.aspx
You might already have this link but here it is anyway!
I did part of my post reg degree studies for nursing on a companion animals project and very interesting it was too.
As for the P.A.T woman - they are mostly volunteers and will all vary so why not try another contact from the organisation? I have used P.A.T. dogs when I was a manager of a day service for adults with learning disabilities and found the service great. We had a visiting Rhodesian Ridgeback, a lovely boy. Also - most importantly when you are working in the public sector and trying to improve things for your service users - the P.A.T. scheme is completely free.
Good Luck with the project.
PS I was "Queen of the Last Minute Essay" for many years and reguarly finished stuff in the early hours of the morning on the day it had to be in. Just couldn't seem to motivate myself until things were past desperate. Didn't stop me passing though thank goodness.

[Minski&Kai]

I do have a reasonable amount of experience in the PAT front. I have been visiting for several years, have worked with special needs children, disable adults and the elderly and represented the charity at a lot of events such as Crufts, the Great Yorkshire Show, Metro Centre and given talks, oh and for a fleeting moment or two my little one is on the charity's promotional video!! :)

But everyone at the head office is really helpfull, so by all means contact them, I'm sure they would be happy to help. :) Just check out their web site.

[Vicki&Milo]

Minski, I have been in touch with PAT about doing some work with them, the lady I spoke to on that account told me repeatedly I had left it too late and should have been more organised (I contacted them as soon as I was given the project adn then SHE went on holiday). However, I will still be looking at the therapeutic role of pets, just in a less hands on way, its a shape, but I thing mainly the red tape caused the biggest problems.