In April 2024, Elvis and I (Gail Cox) completed the training and received certification in HOPE, Animal – Assisted Crisis Response, to become a part of the Florida Team.
HOPE AACR Provides comfort dog teams to assist in recovery from crisis and disasters, assist mental health professionals on location, and are prepared for unpredictable situations. Teams are all volunteer, are insured and undergo regular background checks.
Teams must have a year of documented therapy experience before applying. Applicants are screened for suitability for crisis response before being accepted for training. During the screening, Elvis had to follow basic commands, stay quietly in a crate when I left the room and stay with another person when I left the room. He had to have no response to a tape simulation of the noise in Red Cross shelter during a crisis and provide comfort to people simulating someone affected by a crisis.
Once applicants are eligible, they attend a three day certification training. They receive comprehensive training in animal-assisted crisis response. The training topics include, stress management, crisis response protocols, canine behavior and welfare and
field training. We had training in a fire station to see how the dogs responded to a fireman in full gear and the sirens. None of the dogs in our class had any response to the noise.
We also went through security at the airport and visited with passengers waiting for their flights. It’s amazing how Elvis can be such a good therapy dog and still be a crazy Wheaten! He is living up to his AKC name: Angel Eyes of Comfort and Joy.
HOPE WEBSITE: https://www.hopeaacr.org