Enhance your interactions with clients, students, and others in need with the help of your therapy pet.
The Pet Assisted Therapy Certificate is provided by the DJ Professional Pet Assisted Program in partnership with the URI Office of Strategic Initiatives. Upon successful completion, participants are eligible to receive PPAT credentialing through the Windwalker Humane Coalition for Professional Pet Assisted Therapy. This three-course, non-credit program educates human and pet teams in the theoretical and practical aspects of pet assisted therapy (PAT).
Pearl Salotto, the developer of the DJ program in 1995, chose the name of the DJ Professional Pet Assistant Therapy Program to honor her first dog, “DJ” Joy.
Program Offerings
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Rhode Island Family Court Approved
The DJ Professional Pet Assisted Therapy Certificate is proud to be the only approved Pet Therapy program for the Rhode Island Family Court.
This training was created for human service professionals, such as social workers, clinical or school psychologists, home health aides, teachers, and anyone wishing to share their pet for the support of others, especially seniors, veterans, children, the disabled, or those grieving.
Graduates of this certificate training program who obtain credentialing through Windwalker Humane Coalition may be eligible to provide pet-assisted therapy in a variety of settings, such as:
- Brown University Health
- Rhode Island Family Courthouses
- VA Medical Center (Providence, Bristol)
Class Schedule
PAT I: The Ethical Foundation of PAT (10 sessions, evenings) – This module includes lectures, discussions, visiting credentialed PPAT facilitators, guest lecturers, and videos. We cover research for the profession, history, ethical, legal and safety issues, as well as temperament testing of the pets.
PAT II: Building the Bond (8 sessions) – Hands-on/paws-on learning, family therapy pets, along with their guardians, are provided the opportunity to experience sights and sounds and the busy environment of a healthcare facility. They will work to hone their skills for the next eight weeks, including: wheelchairs, fire, alarms, patients in beds, and navigating busy hallways. They will develop skills in PAT etiquette that will enhance their ability to facilitate a safe and beneficial interaction with their pets. This course includes lectures and practice to apply the knowledge from PAT I. There will be midterm evaluation to determine progress and a final evaluation.
PAT III: Experiencing the Joy (20-hour internship) – Students and their family therapy pets will provide PAT treatment. This 20-hour internship experience is also part of the program and is typically divided into 2 segments.
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- Elmhurst Rehabilitation & Healthcare Center
- The Village at Waterman Lake
- Eleanor Slater Hospital (Zambarano Unit)
- VA Medical Center (Bristol)
- Kent County & Washington County Courthouses
- Cumberland High School Library
- William S Rogers High School (Newport)
- North Kingstown High School
- New internship sites are always in development
Part B: Independent Internships (10 hours) – Starts after completion of Part A. Students will have created their own PAT program based on their proposal from course one, taking into account, their ethics regarding their pets, personality and interest as well as they desire to build a better world.
Program Offerings
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