Dottie, I belong to a national organization called the Delta Society (www.deltasociety.org) and their visiting animal program, Pet Partners. I am both an evaluator and instructor for their Pet Partners program, as well as a registered member. The are many reasons that I have chosen this national group. The first reason is that their registration is a 2 year registration and it is recognized nationwide. So, if I ever moved, the registration for me and my pet goes with me. Delta has also established standards of practice for the industry and has been a leader in the field of research on the human animal bond. It's a great program to be involved with and many hospitals and other facilities throughout the US recognize it's status as a leader. Becoming involved in the Pet Partners program is very easy. You can do a home study course or go to a workshop. Once you have completed this, you and your pet are evaluated as a team, and then your veterinarian does a health screen. Once you've completed this process and send your information off to Delta, you are registered and ready to go. Many smaller, local groups do have their own process and are good groups to become involved with. Some require either Delta or Therapy Dog International involvement, so it may be something to do even if you want to become part of a local group. I just think having a national backing lends more credibility to you as a team as well as to the industry in general. National standards are important to ensure that visiting animal programs follow established policies and procedures for safety of the animal, the person, and the facility....which is the primary reason I have my national registration. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me! I'm more than happy to explain how the Delta Society process works. Again, I really think it's a wonderful group to be a belong. Good luck! Tammy |