I am taking my ferrets for formal weekly visits to Seans school as opposed
to the fun unplanned visits of last year.  I am doing little lessons each
time...then each child gets supervised alone time with the ferret.  The
child may watch the ferret, touch the ferret, feel its ears etc, smell
the ferret, and even hold the ferret.  I encourage talking to the ferret
too for socialization and communication.  Aside from working on sensory
defensive problems in children.... there must be more I can do.  Tactile
and olfactory defensive issues must not the be the only thing I can work
on here.
 
I looked for pet therapy on the web.  I found that dogs and cats visit
hospitals for moral, they visit nursing homes for companionship and to
fight depression.  But I find no formal "therapy".  I can not seem to find
pet therapy with sp needs children (other than nice visits from animals)
either.  Has anyone heard of or have any sites on this?  I need to research
this and make the most of this time that I can.
 
I am very disheartened by all the sites I found of "organizations" that
take your money to become a "pet therapist".  They charge for the
information (for you to train yourself and the pet), Then they charge you
hefty yeaaarly fees, plus membership fees for you not mention the money
for the "courses" they send.  Then they take a registration fee for your
animal, PLUS a yearly fee for EACH animal you use (like I could not use all
my ferrets...only one).  The list goes on and on.  It all made me sick to
my stomack frankly.  After all there is no formal technique that I know of,
nothing has ever been studied formally as far as anything beyond how an
animal effects someones psychological "affect".  I just thought that was
intersting.
 
Anyway does anyone have any information on pet therapy with special needs
children, or on ferrets being used for pet therapy.  People tell me there
have been articles, and such....but can not give me names nor sites, nor
references.  I"m getting frustrated...thinking..."wheres the beef".
 
Wolfy
Please visit:
http://www.geocities.com/wolfysluv/
for information on ferret deafness:
http://www.geocities.com/wolfysluv
[Posted in FML issue 3225]