# Animal Therapy?



## Crissa (Oct 7, 2007)

Has anyone ever used a goat to take to children's hospitals (or hospitals in general) for therapy? I think I'd like to do this with one of my goats. (hopefully Lyric will give me a girl and I can use her) Do they even allow goats to do this? My cousin had cancer at one point and I've been thinking about this since she got it.


----------



## capriola-nd (Jul 6, 2008)

I have never done it but have heard that it is quite possible. The person I know of that did this took two Pygmy goats into senior homes. The Pygmies wore a little "diaper" to catch goat berries and pee. I believe they were both does. They are a hit in the home and everyone loved them. We have thought of doing this but haven't done so yet. . . . I would be more likely to take a smaller baby. . . .


----------



## Crissa (Oct 7, 2007)

That's awesome! Do you know how I figure out what I need to do to be able to do this? I know there's probably paper work and stuff and people that I need to contact.


----------



## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

I would contact the hostpital you want to do this at and see if they will let you do it and go from there...

I don't know much about it, but my grandma works at a mentally disabled home, and she brings everyone out from time to time to see our animals.


----------



## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

Maddie and I do this. I am just finishing up her certification. I takes quite a while and several visits to different places, and assessments by the people. 

You ahve to have the right animal - not every animal is going to want to do it. They need to be people orientated but very very calm - they need to be able to cope with the different smells and sounds of a hospital - walking on different surfaces, carpet, tiles, lino etc. They need to be VERY good in small confined spaces and not move a foot until you tell them to, so they dont knock things over. They need to be good with people and not mind if people are poking, prodding, pulling their ears or tail, screaming at them, or hugging them. They need to be able to take all of that because that is what you can expect from children or the mentally ill. Waving arms, flapping things, loud noises, etc. 

Maddie wears a doggy diaper in a large size with changeable pads, so that if she piddles or poos she doesnt make a mess. She knows several commands:

Hop in/up - get into the car (ute now!) or up on something (works well on big steps etc)
Walk on
Stay - this tells her she is not to move a muscle
Wait - a variation on stay, she has to stay where she is but she can move around a little, lie down if she wants to
Leave - if she wants to chew/play with something, I tell her to leave it. 

These help a lot with controlling her. She walks on a halter and lead and she wears a large dog/mini horse rug - a thick one in winter, a thin one in summer - which helps to minimise the hair we leave behind. She gets a really good scrub before she goes, which includes her feet - probably the most important bit to get all the muck out. 

Cant help alot with who to contact and so on cos I'm in Australia. But I can tell you it is a very rewarding experience.


----------



## Crissa (Oct 7, 2007)

Thanks! Lyrae may be able to do it, although I may wait until I (hopefully) get a doeling out of Lyric. I'll start looking into it. :greengrin:


----------



## Coraxfeather (Oct 9, 2008)

Pancakes is a therapy animal and is restered in the state of PA as one. He gose into nursen homes, day cares, and also preschools. They can not chew on anything. You still have to bath them before they go into the setting. Pampers works the best for there little bottoms. If you can dress them up a bit they also love it too. They has to be willing to be touch anywhere and I do mean anywhere. Suggestion about the diaper. Put it on where the front is up and make sure there is a tail hole. Pan hates it when I forget his tail hole. If you want to chat about any info PM me and we can. I have no problems in helping people about this. I think goats should be used more for this type of Theraphy.


----------



## KikoFaerie (Jan 21, 2008)

This is wonderful and I applaud you all for doing this sort of work! :hi5: 
We all know how being with our goats make us feel and I can't think of anything better than sharing that joy with others!


----------



## Crissa (Oct 7, 2007)

Coraxfeather~ That sounds great! I will pm you soon. :hug: 

KikoFairie~ That's kind of how I came up with the idea, the goats make me feel soooo much better when I'm around them so I thought that since my cousin's all liked them too, that maybe some other people would enjoy it.


----------



## Laurel_Haven (Oct 20, 2007)

My doe Sunshine is used as a therapy animal at a senior center. The woman who takes her said it is the highlight of the week for the elderly patients there. They are more attracted to Sunshine then any of the other type of animals ever brought in. Let's just say she is a "STAR" to them. 
So yes, goats can be used as therapy animals and are... so it is a fabulous idea and hope you decide to take this into action. We all on here know just how special these goats are, so why not use their unique personalities to help others. I am sure those in need of a "pick me up" would love having you visit with a therapy goat.

These are some pictures sent to me of Sunshine on one of her visits... just look at those happy faces...


----------



## Crissa (Oct 7, 2007)

Wow Tina that's awesome! (and that doe is adorable) Do you think it will be harder since my girls are full sized instead of the mini's? I really think this is something I'd like to do.


----------



## Crissa (Oct 7, 2007)

Well I'm looking into this again now that summer is coming up and that I have two doe kids that I can try and work with. Plus I'm doing my term paper over it.


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I think that if the can use large dogs then you can use a large goat -- they get to pet it and if she is gentle enough she may even putt a hoof on their lap like a dog will.


----------



## njs657 (Dec 7, 2012)

I am so glad I found this site! I have three therapy goats that I want to get certificates for and ID Cards for. I live in New York State, but I don't know where I can register them. I am hoping someone can help me with this. Thanks for all the post on therapy goats. I can attest to them being the best therapy/medicine there is!


----------



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

My doeling, Patti, is in training for this.


----------



## S+S Homestead (Jul 23, 2012)

I agree that goats are very therapeutic but I was told recently that they can carry e-coli so they are not allowed in situations that include children or the elderly. This information came from a local person in rural NC, so I am asking for clarification. I would love to train one of my soon-to-be-born babies for this type of activity.


----------



## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Delta Society is the one that does the training and testing for full Certification. They also test and train YOU as the animals handler must be able to handle some of what you see in a hospital. Yes, there are some rules for how the goat must be kept and what tests must be done. There are however, vaccines for things like E-coli and Staff infections, we just don't use them normally. 
Here is a link to their website http://www.deltasociety.org/


----------



## goatiegurl*Oh (Nov 11, 2007)

Does anyone have any more info on this? I'm an Occupational Therapy Assistant student and would love to incorporate animals into therapy, though I know there isn't alot of info on it yet in the field. I also would like to open my own Hippotherapy (horse therapy) farm though its prob not feasible due to costs, but it would be awesome to combine work and play!


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Crissa said:


> Has anyone ever used a goat to take to children's hospitals (or hospitals in general) for therapy? I think I'd like to do this with one of my goats. (hopefully Lyric will give me a girl and I can use her) Do they even allow goats to do this? My cousin had cancer at one point and I've been thinking about this since she got it.


I think it's a wonderful idea as long as you are prepared for the realities of this kind of situation and can handle it. I can't. Please don't forget about all the people in nursing homes, VA hospitals, and other places that might benefit from a visit from a friendly, loving, personable goat, too. I am a big believer in animal therapy and I have a lot of admiration and respect for people who can do what you are thinking of doing. I truly believe you can make a difference in a lot of people's lives.


----------



## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

I heard that they're great healing animals. 


Goat Lady


----------



## Sundancer (Jan 21, 2012)

A short story here...sorry. While in the grocery store here, I started talking to one of the vendors stocking and it turned out he was a veteran of Afghanistan and was suffering from ptsd bad enough to have his home life falling apart. We actually talked quite a while as I am a Viet-Nam vet and could relate to his problems in many ways.

I explained to him what my goatie girls were like and how they affect me when I feel down. My girls can feel your feelings. If I sit out with them when I feel good, they contentedly browse around on an acre or so. If I feel crappy...emotionally or physically...I end up with 5 girls browsing less than ten feet from me with a statue or two standing next to me. 

I suggested he come out and visit the girls and see what happens when we sat with them. Took a couple weeks but he did call and come out.

It was amazing...we sat at the picnic table in the field and when the girls were let out they did their normal "I can jump higher than you" antics with a few acrobatics thrown in for color...browsed for about 30 seconds before wandering to the table.

They greeted us as they usually do but the reaction to the "new guy" was amazing. First sniffing and licking a bit to get a taste, then picking on his clothes to straighten them up..then rubbing on him, heads and necks.

I had told him to let them do whatever they wanted, that they really wouldn't eat his clothes and all. My wife told him to scratch down the goat sides and along the back but not rub on their faces. We had to get on with chores but told him to sit and stay we would be back shortly.

As we all know, if we get up and move somewhere on the property, our goaties will follow. Ours did, except for two, and at least one goat was never more than 5 feet or so from him (I cheated and walked in from the back to watch every now and then ). The girls took turns staying with him for almost 2 hours.

We talked for a bit before he left and he asked if he could come back. We just asked him to call to make sure we were here. (story's getting long) Long story short, we now have 3 men and 1 woman Vets that come out and sit with the goats. They all now help with chores and such (at their request) and even cleaned out the barn :wahoo:. This has been going on now for about 4 months and I see no end for it nor do I want it to. God bless them for what they have had to do for us.


----------



## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

That is awesome!

Carmen, Co-Owner Oleo Acres LLC, Nw Ks


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is so wonderful!


----------



## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

Bless you Sundancer! That is so incredibly awesome! :applaud:


----------



## GoatMama627 (Mar 27, 2014)

Hi there.... Im wanting to start taking my little cookie girl to do pet therapy!! She was captain of my team I organized this year for the March of Dimes walj & she was such a big hit at the walk everyone loved her. If anyone could point me in the right direction, i live in Lancaster PA. Thanks so much!!


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

There are probably pet therapy groups in your area. You would need to find out if she needs some sort of certification.


----------



## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

I used to work at a camp that had a horses for riders with disabilities program, let me tell you, those animals know and love their job! They loved the people that came out and when they saw a bus coming in they would run out of the pasture to get up to the barn. We had 32 horses and I can't think of one that didn't totally enjoy working with their people. Animals know!


----------



## chytka (May 25, 2015)

Very nice pictures I have 2 small Nubian Dwarf Goats that aren't reg and id like too take them too see these poor kids with cancer if anyone can help me out with this I thank-you my e-mail address is [email protected] And thanks again


----------



## lottsagoats1 (Apr 12, 2014)

The hospital I work at only acknowledges dogs as service or therapy animals, so they would not allow a goat to come in. 

I am, however, waiting for the time someone shows up with a seeing eye mini horse or something and the hospital refuses to allow them to come in. Can you say law suit?


----------



## WitchHazel (May 5, 2015)

This is so neat. I've been pondering the possibility of training our wether to be a therapy animal for a while. It sounds like it might be possible; I'll have to see what I can come up with.

I also had an idea: a goat exercise program for the disabled. I struggle with Fibromyalgia, a chronic illness which causes full-body pain and stiffness. It is diminished somewhat by regular, gentle exercise: however, exercising is extremely painful and very embarrassing for those of us who can barely lift a water bucket. I have found that my goats are incredibly helpful for this. We walk them slowly, stopping occasionally for blackberry leaves or conversations with passers-by.

So anyway, I thought, why couldn't someone start a program where a disabled person meets a goat and handler for a short walk? It's so much fun, and it would make exercising easier.

Normal people can't imagine the agony of watching your own health deteriorate further and further, simply because of a "condition." You hate yourself for not caring for your body, despite the fact that you _can't_. If goats have helped me so much, why couldn't they help other people?

So what do you think? Is it a good idea? What about insurance, etc.?


----------

