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What a meowvalous honor to be invited to join this group. You're undoubtacatically thinking someone made a mistake inviting the Italian Kitty, but it's true and I've been in AAT since January. Every 2 weeks I go to my job at The ARC in San Francisco where I work with 72 adults with Down Syndrome and other conditions that make them not quite as agile as me the mighty meowster. I love my job and like you incredulous canines, I too have a vest with my Certified AAT animal badge on it. The San Francisco SPCA even had my name embroidered on the side - just incase I furget who I am! It's catzowey and I can ride the Cable Car to my job, without paying if I wear my vest!
I'm on countdown to meet and greet all of you special furiends (oops, that's cat chat!)
Ciao & Meow and abundacat thanks for inviting me,
GUIDO The Italian Kitty
There are a few other members of the feline purrsuasion here. Myself, and Muppet, and I think one or two others. Muppet's been doing AAT work for a while, and was even featured in Cat Fancy magazine. I am still in training, but almost ready to take my Delta Society Pet Partners test, and have found a group to work with (older adults in a care facility/retirement home).
All the doggie members of the group are nice, too, and love to chat with kitties. You'll love it here! Feel free to share some of your visiting stories as you explore the threads.
Yep, if you want to get certified and be "official, official", there's an actual test! You have to be at least a year old for it, but you can get the training manual and see what's in the actual test. The link for it is in the "Links" section of the group: Delta Society Pet Partners.
It looks like the test's pretty easy, if you've been visiting for a while. Things like sitting on three strangers' laps for a bit while your purrson holds the leash, not startling at noises, being examined all over (even teeth and paws), knowing what to do around wheelchairs and walkers, not screaming, no licking unless on command, accepting clumsy pets and hugs.
I'm not "official" like that yet, but Mommy says soon.
Happy MEW year everybody! There are many ways for 'certification' in AAT work. You can align your paws and you with a local org who may do certification, like here in San Francisco, we work thru the SF SPCA as their AAT program is huuuuuge - visits 36,000 people a year at specific places. As for me, I go regularly to a down syndrome adult day care center. But on 12/31 I made a furst time visit to a surgery recovery ward, on request - via Catster cuz a Catster read my bio.. That was cool. You can see more about it on the Guido Gazette - http://www.theguidogazette.blogspot.com
Certified or not, whatever you and your fantastic paws do is wonderful work
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